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 Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:40 pm
"I have no ******** idea," Aubrey said, not bothering to hide the anger in her voice, "but I intend to find out. Ms. MacNeal, I'm going to send a Jeep down for you. I want you to come into the labs for a bit, let me check you out. We'll get your system cleared and I'll get you your real medication to you."
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:44 pm
"********," Nita muttered. No wonder she had been feeling so shitty! Not only was she going through withdrawal, but she'd been taking some random drug on top of it all.
After a moment, she managed to calm herself a bit. "I'll be ready," she told Dr. Lockheart. "And I'll bring the pills I have left."
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:55 pm
Aubrey cut off the connection and switched it over to security. She barked for a Jeep to get down the village ASAP and pick up Ms. MacNeal. Meanwhile, she tired to get a hold of Dr. Frost to no avail. Frustrated and worried, she went down to the hospital wing to wait on Nita.
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:00 pm
Nita brushed her hair quickly and grabbed the bottle of pills. Within moments the Jeep had arrived. She climbed into the back seat, smiling nervously at the guards.
The bumpy ride to the labs brought Nita's headache back with a vengeance, but the girl almost didn't mind. At least she knew the source and it was going to get better. Nita clung to that thought as she was escorted to the hospital wing.
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:06 pm
Aubrey met the woman outside and directed for the doctors to lead her into the labs.
Aubrey took the pills from her and shook the bottle critically. She passed them to a passing lab technition. "Find out what these are ASAP!"
After taking her vitals, it was thankfullly obvious that Nita wasn't in any immediate mortal danger, they got her into a room and hooked her to an IV machine.
When things had settled down a bit, Aubrey made her way by her bedside. "Unfortunately until we know exactly what you have been taking, I'm hesitant to give you any more Zoloft until your system's cleared. We're working on that now, but sadly its probably going ot be a rough night."
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:16 pm
Nita was moved about in sort of a daze, poked and prodded and finally put into a clean white hospital bed. She nodded when Aubrey came to speak to her, idly fingering the tape holding the IV needle against her arm.
"I figured it would be," she said softly, biting her lip. "It probably doesn't change anything, but Dr. Frost did say I could take whatever it was she gave me in conjunction with the Zoloft. I had a couple of pills left at that point," she explained. "Not that what she says seems to be at all reliable..."
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:18 pm
Aubrey made a non-commital grunt. "Well I should be a ble to figure out what these are pretty soon, and we and we can go from there."
She looked guilty, and utterly peeved. "Speaking of, I'm going to go look into that right now. You buzz if you need anything."
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:25 pm
Nita nodded again, aware of Aubrey's mood. So even the doctors at the top of the chain of command didn't know everything, and didn't seem to trust each other. It wasn't like Nita to use that information, but it was certainly interesting.
"I will," she said. The red panda girl settled back against the pillows and pulled the sheet up to her chest. Maybe she would be able to get some rest, if getting whatever-it-was out of her system wasn't too miserable.
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Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 3:28 pm
On her way back from the lake, Kikue decided to stop by Nita's duplex, remembering what number it was. Since Kikue was awake, she considered this a good -- albiet early -- time to see if Nita was home and awake. Walking up the stairs to Nita's duplex, she knocks softly on the door and waits politely for an answer. Knowing its early, she wants to say hello before the afternoon comes and sleep takes her.
There is no answer at the door.
"Nita?" Kikue called softly, knocking again, a tiny bit louder. She struggles with the idea to try the doorknob, never wanting to intrude on someone. Curiousity overtakes her and she turns the knob : it's locked.
Worry creeps on Kikue. Don't be silly...she could be anywhere, maybe even eating right now. But the bad feeling doesn't go away.
Walking back quickly to her own duplex, Kikue returns outside Nita's door with a note written in hastily written cursive :
Nita,
I stopped by your duplex to say hi, but you weren't here. Just wanted to see how you were doing. I hope everything's all right. I'll come by again later.
Kikue
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Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 8:20 pm
Homecoming It was a rough night, but it was finally over. The doctors judged Nita's system clean, although she still didn't know what it was she had been given. In any case, she was driven back to her duplex, pale and sweaty and with a month's worth of Zoloft. She picked up the bit of paper in front of the door, eyes scanning the message quickly. She would have to find Kikue soon and tell her what had happened. Lauren, too; she'd been so worried about Nita after the soccer game. And apparently for good reason. Nita sighed and let herself in, immediately heading for the shower. Even though she could feel the Zoloft starting to work, it was still necessary to rid herself of the antiseptic stench of hospital.
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Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 6:34 pm
You snap awake to realize that you can feel a tingling over your entire body. You look down and notice that the thin layer of fur that you've gotten used to appears to be thickening and covering your entire body. You watch it spread down your body, something between a tingling, an itching, and a burning sensation occurring as it does. You watch the nails on your hands grow longer and more defined. Made for climbing, something that almost comes naturally to you now. You arch your spine as your tail grows longer and thicker, dark rings appearing in the red fur. Your face pushes forward slightly, into a small semblance of what will be your future muzzle. With your new changes your sense of smell and your hearing have increased. Then the aching and the tingling stop and you realize that it's thankfully over, for now. 
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Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 9:47 pm
Tranquility Interrupted Rustling. The scent of the jungle after a light rain, fresh and crisp and leafy and wet. The red panda uncurled itself from its nest in the tree. The sun was setting and it was time to get up, time to forage and eat. It clambered down the tree, emitting a distinctive sort of "Wah!" noise and marking its territory with the scent glands on its feet. It- no, she- was slow and a bit awkward on the ground, but that part of her trek was short. She moved into a stand of bamboo, clever dark paws plucking the leaves and tender shoots. She sat and ate.. and ate.. and ate, temporarily satiated by her primary form of sustenance. Occasionally she picked up a passing insect and there was a nice patch of damp moss under a nearby rock. The moonlight shone on her red fur, casting an eery glowing shadow across her body, through the thick foliage and to the forest floor. Hours passed seamlessly, barely punctuated by the scurrying sounds of rodents and insects also going about their business. Warmth. Grey skies turning orange and pink and finally to blue. Exhausted from her night of foraging, the red panda shuffled back to her tree. The sun rose higher in the sky, burning away the cool night's mist, penetrating the leaves, warming her fur. She settled down in the crook between two branches, almost comfortable. The heat grew, burning her skin. She scratched, gently at first and then harder, sharp claws dislodging clumps of fur. The itching grew worse and she was so hot...Nita awoke with a gasp. A dream. It was a dream, and mostly much more pleasant than the screaming-dreams. Except at the end, the itching... She scratched her arm. Surely it was only a phantom itch from the dream. Oh no.The itching sensation spread, sometimes only a bit of a tingle and sometimes a full-out burn. Nita scratched, trying not to claw herself as her fingernails grew and hardened. But the itch was nothing compared to what was yet to come. Fire down her spine, as if someone had come along and broken each individual vertebra and tugged mercilessly. Her back arched painfully and tears rolled down her cheeks. The itching covered her new appendage, leaving behind rather attractively colored rings of fur. Among the drama of growing so much of a tail all at once, the changes to her face and ears were nearly masked, although at one point it felt almost like someone had kicked her in the mouth. Finally, after hours.. or probably only a few minutes.. the itching and pulling stopped. Nita lay prone on her stomach, gasping for breath, hardly daring to believe it was over. She could hear the blood pounding in her ears and smell the acrid stench of her own sweat, mixed with an unfamiliar smell. She sniffed, being careful not to abuse her facial muscles. Realization dawned on her. That unfamiliar smell... It was her.
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:31 am
"Please Don't Chase Me Up Any More Trees..." Nita MacNeal For the first time in several weeks, Nita crept along the path and into the jungle. Her body was still sore from her changes, especially her back and bottom; her new fluffy tail hung behind her, jeans hanging low from her hips. She felt trapped in her duplex, skittish and wanting the protective cover of the trees. It was good to be outside after the days spent in her duplex, suffering from withdrawal and then the night in the hospital. Nita could almost feel the red panda calming as she padded softly along the well-marked trail. Before very long, she gained confidence in her movements, aided by her improved senses of hearing and smell. Nita left the path and strode off amongst the trees, expertly avoiding rocks and fallen twigs. Emelyn "Reuben, for crying out loud... if you chase every lizard you find..." she called him back to her with a snap of her fingers, and the mutt toddled over to her with gusto. "Well... just remind me not to introduce you to Joli, okay?" This is what her days had become- happy, chatty days as she travelled through the woods and along the beach with her dog. She hadn't seen a soul in weeks, perhaps more- her inner clock had permanently frayed- but somehow, it didn't matter to her so much. There was a sort of happy permanence in these lazy, easy days- and it pleased her. Reuben broke their easy silence by making his body taught, pointing towards the woods. "What is it? Another lizard? Stay close to me, Reuben." But the dog took off- rushing through the brush- where he would collide directly with Nita. Nita MacNeal Nita's ears twitched. Something was there, something bigger than the insects and birds and various small mammals. She froze, all of her senses on the alert, as that something crashed through the underbrush. Before she even knew what she was doing, Nita found herself scrabbling up a tree, clawed fingers and toes finding purchase in the rough bark, her tail helping her balance. She perched on a wide branch about 15 feet above the ground, holding her body rigid. Emelyn "Reuben!" Emelyn tore through the bushes like a woman with a mission. He'd never run off like this before, but she didn't give herself time or cause to decide why he had left so. There was too much at stake to let herself believe that he had run after one of the islanders. ...The dangerous islanders. "REUBEN!" She screamed again, and was so intent to retrieve him that she hardly noticed he'd stopped at the base of a tree. Emelyn very nearly tipped over him at her full-tilt with her surprise, but stopped just in time to support herself with a front-lean into the tree. Reuben alternated looking up at the thing he had chased into the tree- and wagging his tail furiously, proud to show his mother what he'd done. "For crying out loud, what do you think you're... oh my god." She had looked up. The figure- red and rigid- was almost unrecognizable, until Emelyn cleared her mind of the shock. "Nita? Is that you?" Nita MacNeal Shouting.. and something scrabbling at the base of the tree. Nita peered down through the foliage to see a rather small brown and white dog. Her rational mind came back as her rapid heartbeat slowed. And.. was that voice familiar..? "Emelyn?" the red panda girl called softly. "Um.. is that your dog there?" Nita felt unaccountably embarrassed. The dog was clearly not much more than a puppy and it had chased her up a tree. Emelyn "Yes, and the mutt is harmless. I'm so sorry about this- he hasn't seen anyone but me, really. I think he just got excited. You can come on down." She turned to the mutt and pointed at the ground with a finger and said in a resolute voice, "Sit." The spaniel mix did as he was told, happy to be playing this new game. Nita MacNeal Nita nodded slowly, a bit tired from the sudden rush of adrenalin. Only then did she realize quite how far up she had climbed. With a touch of nervousness, Nita made her way to the ground. She dusted off her hands and kept her back to the broad tree-trunk. Just in case. However, it was really good to see Emelyn. Nita had worried about her a bit, out on her own, especially after Aubrey's attack. News of that had kept her from her trips into the jungle; no one had mentioned that the crisis was over. "Um," Nita began, her tail wrapping itself around her waist. "It's okay. I'm just a little jumpy." She smiled and held out her hand for the dog to sniff. Emelyn Reuben sniffed for what seemed like forever- here was such a strikingly new smell. She smelled... somewhat like his mother, but also- very much unalike. There was an animal-like fear running through her, and it excited the small-ish sized dog. But, at heart, he was a sweet, slobbery pushover, and had no intentions to harm Nita- what little instinct he had to chase and bark and growl was just that- the leftovers of a predatory survival that had long since worn out its need in his ancestory branch of genetics. Emelyn, on the other hand, was just now realizing that Nita was the first person she had see in weeks- and she unabashedly wrapped her arms around the woman's neck with glee. "It's been so long since I saw anyone out here. I was beginning to wonder if there was some sort of conspiracy," Em joked, knowing full well that her own desire to keep Reuben safe- plus the remnants of the terror that had befallen the island recently- had kept her away from the others. It was still good to see someone, again though. "And... you've changed. Well, I might add. That was quite a climb." Nita MacNeal Nita continued to hold very still, letting Reuben examine her furry hand for as long as he needed. She had never been particularly of dogs- either they were too big and a bit scary, or too yappy. Nita did not like being barked at or jumped on, but now that Reuben had calmed down, he seemed an okay sort. She was surprised by Emelyn's sudden enthusiastic hug but she returned it readily enough. "It's good to see you," Nita told her honestly. "I'd worried about you, all alone out here, but..." How much of her last couple of weeks did she really want to explain just now? "Well, I haven't been very social lately." Nita gave Reuben a few tentative scritches behind his floppy ears. "The change is new. Last night." Nita looked down at herself, not quite used to having so much fur. She laughed a little. "I didn't know I could do that!" she exlaimed, looking up into the branches of the tree. Emelyn "Well," Emelyn said, sensing that the atmosphere was one of some reluctance- the root of which she didn't understand... but wasn't willing to press, "nothing like getting chased by something unknown to bring out the instinct in all of us." Emelyn leaned down and gave the dog a scratch between his ears. "I'm really sorry about that, by the way. I haven't quite trained him to stay put when he smells something new. He's still pretty young." Nita MacNeal "It's really okay," Nita said with a smile. "Surprised me, is all. I can see now that he's just a puppy." She wondered absently how Emelyn had come across this dog; she doubted they were prevalent in the woods. However, a sudden realization came over her. "You've changed since I saw you last!" She could see that Emelyn also sported more fur and her face had pushed out more. Emelyn also smelled stronger, but Nita was unsure if that was from Emelyn's change or her own recent transformation. Emelyn "Oh, has it really been that long since we've seen each other? I've been this way for... oh, weeks." Emelyn paused, her mind rummaging through the passing of days. "Well, no, I guess that's right. It's been a long time since I've met anyone." She still saw an almost wary look on Nita's face- or perhaps it was from the sake of the transformation, but Emelyn wanted her to be at ease, just in case it was Reuben that was putting her off. The hedgehog-girl stayed knealt down by her dog, and ruffled the brown and white fur along his neck. "He's a sweetheart, really. His name is Reuben. Now that he knows you, I'm sure he'll leave you be if he comes across you again." Nita MacNeal "It really has been a while. I think I had only recently changed the first time, last I saw you." Although Nita still religiously kept track of the days, time blurred together, especially over longer periods. "Reuben?" Nita grinned and instantly regretted it. Such an expansive facial expression was just a bit too much for her new semi-muzzle. Nita crouched down, her tail flicking behind her, and held out her hand again. "I'm Nita," she said directly to Reuben. "I'm a friend, so please don't chase me up any more trees." Her eyes flicked towards Emelyn and she let out a giggle. It was a bit silly to talk to Reuben as if he would understand exactly what she meant. Although, considering the island they inhabited, maybe he would. At least it wouldn't do any harm. Emelyn In response, the dog sniffed voraciously at the newly-furred hand, then bounded past it to plant a series of happy, spastic licks on the neck of the woman. Only the feeling of Em's arms upon him, pulling him back, ceased the slobbering onslaught. Emelyn's laughter rang as she gave the creature one last hug before righting herself to a standing position. "I talk to him like that, too. ...It's too hard not to get into the hang of it. ...He keeps me company." She was glad that Nita hadn't asked where he had come from, although she felt guilty for not volunteering the information. It wasn't that she was ashamed of having Reuben, but the circumstances of his being with her were somewhat... tainted, for the sake of what she had done for Aubrey- and vice versa. "...So..." Emelyn said softly, eyeing the red fur up and down, still not entirely sure what Nita was becoming. "Any news from the village?" Nita MacNeal "Gah!" Nita jerked backwards, not expecting such an enthusiastic response. She wiped at her neck, a bit grossed out but mostly amused. She could take the slobbering in stride for now, although her neck would be thoroughly washed when she returned to her duplex. Nita stood and placed her hands on her hips, mock-glaring at the dog. "Well aren't you cute!" she said, her words exasperated but her tone full of amusement. She thought for a moment, searching for pertinent information. "Hm.. There are new people. Several that I've met, and there's construction on one side of the village. Looks like new duplexes." Nita chewed on the inside of her cheek. "Oh, and there's a new doctor. Or at least, she said she was new when I went to see her. I don't think Dr. Lockheart trusts her, and I don't either..." Emelyn "New duplexes, new people... new doctor." Emelyn repeated the words softly- a masochistic mantra to repeat to herself. "Does it ever end?" Being in the jungle like she was, away from people for long stretches of time, seeing only the steady ebb and flow of the tides and the clockwork dawns and dusks- Emelyn could almost believe that time stood still, that nothing had changed. Sometimes in her dreams, Emelyn saw a snowglobe- a small, contained toy of the island in which, truly, they were all trapped- but at least, no matter how many times the petultant child that was Moreau shook his toy, it would give him no more satisfaction than to rattle what already existed inside. It was...if not a sweet dream- at least a picture that was far from the nightmare of reality. Moreau was building more duplexes, hiring more doctors- changing the lives of more people, and ruining whatever chance the existing islanders had to begin to cope with their fated lot. How can one find peace, if you're constanly reminded by the image of fresh-faced new arrivals what you were, and if you find that you relive the pain of transformation and violation of your body every time someone new experiences the trauma of it? Emelyn answered her own question. Truly, it never would end. Nita MacNeal Nita shrugged, knowing that Emelyn wasn't expecting a verbal answer to her question. She leaned back against the tree-trunk again, somehow comforted by the feeling of the rough bark through her fur. "Anyway," she said earnestly, "I don't know how much contact you have with the labs," (at this point she cast a quick glance at Reuben), "but if you're summoned to go see a Dr. Frost, don't trust her. At least don't take any pills she gives you." Nita shuddered, the memory of her recent ordeal far to fresh in her mind. Emelyn Emelyn nodded, trying to push the morose thoughts from her mind. "I only go to the labs when I'm attacked, and need to be stitched up," she said, "but I'll be sure to avoid a Dr. Frost, if I come across her. ...So now they're giving out wacky pills, too?" Emelyn hadn't noticed the shudder that Nita had pinned onto the end of her words- and so she didn't guess that the girl was speaking from experience. Nita MacNeal "Jeez, you've been attacked out here? By what? Or.. who?" Nita frowned. So she had been right to be concerned for Em's safety. She stared at her darkened fuzzy toes. "I don't know what the pills are. She said they were a derivative of my Zoloft, to work better with my changes... but they weren't." Nita paused for a moment before concluding quietly, "It was bad." Emelyn Emelyn looked aside at the question of attack, instead watching Reuben as he ran around a nearby tree. He'd found another lizard and was enthralled that it could run so quickly around the tree's base. "Jamal got me pretty good... quite a long while ago, now. And a few others- it seems to me like they've gotten close. Or maybe I'm just paranoid." She exhaled, and as if it deflated her, she fell back to lean against the tree that Nita had made her temporary escape just minutes before. Her eyes were finally back to the panda-girl, and they shook as she slowly moved her head from side to side. It was look that almost seemed to garner... disappointment for the labs- as if she were in the position to dole out guilt and shame. "I didn't know you were on Zoloft. ...That's awful, that they didn't replace them. That must have wreaked havoc on your system. And with all the changes. Are you alright?" Nita MacNeal Nita smiled at the sight of Reuben running in circles and, with a pang, suddenly missed her kitties back at home. She nodded thoughtfully as Em spoke. As peaceful as the jungle was at the moment, there were definite dangers, and not from the native wildlife. She shrugged. "Yeah, I've been taking it for several years now. Anyway, I've got replacements now, but a few days ago I ended up in the hospital overnight to flush out my system." Nita swallowed, playing absently with her new tail. It was still quite sensitive, but was calming all the same. "I'm okay though, I think. Definitely feeling better." She sighed. "I do hope they'll tell me what it was I'd been given... Dr. Lockheart didn't even know that Dr. Frost had given me anything." Emelyn "I wouldn't be too surprised... if Dr. Lockheart was being kept out of the loop right now. The one time I really saw Moreau and Aubrey together- he didn't cater to her opinion at all- or ever defer to her. Now that she's injured- I don't know what that situation must be." She didn't mention the large engagement ring that Aubrey sported- or whether or not Nita had seen it or even knew about it... but somehow, she didn't feel like delivering what she felt to be some quite sobering news. The lizard had escaped its pursuer, it seems, for Emelyn found herself suddenly in the company of the floppy-eared dog once more. He'd come to sit next to her, and look up at her and Nita as if to ask them what was to happen next. Em gave a soft sigh- it barely cleared her lips, and she doubted if it was anything more than minutely audible. "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better. ...And your tail is... well, adorable, by the way. Sorry to bring it up, but I've been staring at it. Anyway- Reub's not had anything to eat since this morning, and I have to check my fishcatch before high tide comes back in. ...Come and see me soon, alright?" Nita MacNeal The red panda girl shook her head sadly. "It's a shame, I mean, she really does seem like she cares..." Nita shrugged again. In fact she hadn't noticed the large blue diamond on Aubrey's finger, but she hadn't been exactly lucid for much of her hospital stay. "Thank you," Nita said, in response to both the well-wishing and the compliment on her tail. "It is pretty cute, although it hurt like hell to grow!" She grinned, although not enough to hurt her newly-changed face again. "I'll be sure to come see you; it's great to know you're doing so well out here." Nita gave Reuben a quick pat and waved to Emelyn. As the pair strode off, Nita stood for a moment, hand resting on the rough bark of 'her' tree. She stared up into the branches, remembering fragments of a dream. Sighing, Nita turned back towards the village. Some Tylenol and a nap seemed like just what she needed.
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:23 pm
"Oh! You're Not Newt!" Nita MacNeal After the whole mess with Nita ending up in the hospital and then her change, the girl had almost forgotten the cleaning supplies she had borrowed from Newt. And so, bucket in hand, she made her way towards Duplex 51. Sure, she could just put them back in the janitors' closet where she'd found them, but Nita thought he mind appreciate a friendly visit. Nita knocked on the door, shifting from foot to foot, tail waving idly behind her. Cody Archer Cody had been reading a coupple of dolphin books he had borrowed from the entertainment room, trying to find if they could see in the dark or not. He hadn't crossed with that type of information, but had found other interesting stuff, like the shedding of the skin every 2 hours to keep the hidrodynamic (whatever that word was) or the blubber acting like a spring when the tail moved
He was a bit surprised when he heard the knock on the door. No one had came visiting him yet, or he remembered to do the same too
He set down the book upside-dowm to mark the page and went to open the door. He surely wasn't expecting to see what looked like a red and white cat-girl Nita MacNeal "Hey, Newt, I.." Nita blinked. Okay. Small blond child was NOT Newt. "Er.. hi, sorry, I was looking for Newt? Does he.. not live here?" Nita flushed and pushed her hair out of her eyes. Had she misremembered what Newt said? Or had he told her the wrong duplex? Cody Archer "Newt?" he remembered Aubrey mentioning that name. He had completely forgotten to visit him
"He lives upstairs" Cody pointed to the duplex above his "But I haven't met him yet. Who're you?" Nita MacNeal Well, at least she had been close. And at least the kid (who couldn't be more than 10 years old) wasn't freaking out at her fur. And tail. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Nita babbled, a bit flustered. A child on the island? "I was just going to return some stuff I borrowed from him..." She took a few breaths to calm herself. "I'm Nita." Cody Archer "I'm Cody" he smilled "What animal are you? A cat? Because I've never seen a cat with red fur" Nita MacNeal "Nice to meet you, Cody," Nita said, smiling back. "Ah, I'm turning into a red panda. They look kind of like a cross between a raccoon and a fox." She set the bucket of cleaning supplies on the porch; she figured she could just leave them in front of Newt's actual duplex with a note or something. Cody Archer "Still think you look more like a cat. But it's a cool color"
Cody pondered for a moment if he should invite her in, but it wasn't exatcly in the tidiest of moments. Besides it felt awkward Nita MacNeal Nita couldn't help but grin. This kid was pretty cool, and seemed pretty hard to phase, which was a good thing under the circumstances. Still, she wondered why on earth Moreau would take such a risk as to take on a young subject like Cody. She held out her arms as if inspecting the color for the first time. Truth be told, she hadn't really examined herself since her second change, other than that there was obviously more fur and a couple feet of tail protruding from her rear. "It is kind of neat, actually," she agreed. And as much as she hated to admit it, she really was 'lucky' compared to some of the islanders. "So, um.. I guess you do know what's going on here..?" Cody Archer Seemed she hadn't payed much attention to her look. He didn't know anything about the transition between the stages, besides they hurt, so Cody found a bit strange her lack of knowlege of herself
"I think so. They're changing people into animals and..." there he went again, to think about his family. He had been trying hard not to think of it, in the sweet illusion that if he ignore it long enough the pain would go away. But it was there again, just as strong as before
Cody sniffled, trying to keep the tears away Nita MacNeal "I just changed again the other day," Nita started to explain. "It takes some getting used to." She noted the change in Cody's expression, her sensitive ears catching the tiny sniffle. "Hey, hey there, are you okay?" she asked softly. Cody Archer Cody nodded "Yeah, just... I'm not going to see my parents again" tears started to stubbornly rolling down his face, no matter how much he tried to brush them away with his sleeve Nita MacNeal "Oh Cody," Nita said, her heart practically breaking at the sight of his tears. She had worked hard on ignoring that particular aspect of the island, but to know that this little boy would never be with his family again... She wrapped her arms around him, letting him cry all over her t-shirt. "I know, I know," she whispered, holding back her own tears. Cody Archer "It's just so unfair. I want to get cured, but I want to see my family again" he wraped his arms around Nita's waist. He was too shook up to care if he was crying over a person he barely knew, he just wanted the pain to go away Nita MacNeal "I know, I know it is," Nita said softly. She maneuvered the pair of them into Cody's duplex so they would have at least a modicum of privacy, cameras aside. She noticed the mess, but it wasn't a big deal just then. Cody was just a little kid. She sat on one of the more comfortable chairs and pulled Cody into her lap. He wasn't that much smaller than she was, but Nita supposed she was the adult. Nita stroked his hair out of his face, catching his mumbled response. "Cured of what?" she asked quietly. So maybe the labs really did have a good medical reason to be conducting this research. Cody Archer Cody followed Nita without a reply, sitting on her lap obediently. Her fur was soft and actually made him feel better to nuzzle against it
"MS..." Nita MacNeal MS. Multiple sclerosis. Nita didn't know much about the disease except that it was a bad one, and that people with it usually died young. "Is that why they brought you here?" she asked, still holding onto Cody. She fervently hoped they would be able to cure him, even if it did entail being turned into a... something. Cody Archer "Yes... they're going to turn me into a dolphin to cure me" his tears were running thin now, though his troat still ache Nita MacNeal "A dolpin? Hey, that's not so bad, hm? Dolphins are cute and friendly and very smart. I bet you'll be able to swim really well, too." She embued her voice with as much enthusiasm as she could manage, trying to cheer up Cody. Nita shifted herself out from under him and padded to the bathroom. One nice thing about the duplexes all being identical was that it made finding things really easy. She pulled off a length of toilet paper and went back out to Cody, handing it to him. Cody Archer Cody smiled in reply and took the toilet paper she handed, blowing his nose "Thank you" Nita MacNeal "Of course," Nita said with a smile. Her shirt had big damp splotches on it but she didn't mind. Sometimes people just needed a good cry. She knew she'd done a lot of crying during the first couple of weeks she'd been on the island. Seeing the dolphin books on the bed, Nita picked one up and flipped through it. "Have you found out anything interesting in here?" Cody Archer Cody looked back at the books and picked up the one he had been reading (looking at the most interesting pictures actually. Most of the stuff written then was either boring or completely impossible for him to understand)
"Kinda. Did you know dolphins shed their skin 9 times more than humans? And you can tell their age by counting the teeth?" Nita MacNeal "Do they really? That's really awesome." Nita looked through the book she was holding, which did have a lot of pretty cool pictures. "Have you ever seen a dolphin up close?" Cody Archer "And it says their breathing is voluntary, but I don't know what that means. Or the ecolocation bit"
Cody tried to recall any experience with a dolphin, but the closest he ever had been to one was through the tv screen
"No. You?" Nita MacNeal "Voluntary means that they can control it. They have to think about their breathing. Like, right now, you're breathing without thinking about it. It just happens. Same with blinking. You don't tell your eyes to blink, they just do. Does that make sense?" Nita paused a moment before continuing. She didn't want to be too wordy, but she knew the answers, and it would soon be relevant for Cody. "And echolocation.. It's kind of like sonar. Like what submarines use. They send out a high-pitched noise, and the sound waves bounce around and form a kind of picture. And the dolphin can sort of 'see' that picture. Bats can echolocate too." She smiled and pointed to a diagram in the book that showed a sonar screen on a sub. "I went to the ocean once, a few years ago, and we went out on a boat and dolphins came right up to us." Nita grinned at the memory. There was something about dolphins; their grace and humour and obvious intelligence, that really appealed to her. "Sometimes you can see them here, too, doing flips out past the breakers." Cody Archer "Like the bladder?" This was important point for Cody, since one of the effects of his MS was having to go to the bathroom too often. And for several times he had hold the urge while looking for one
"Wow, cool. You think I will be able to do that?" maybe that was Emelyn meant by seeing in the dark
"There are?" this particular piece of news amazed Cody. He wondered what it would be like to be with them once he changed. Maybe he would even learn how to speak dolphin! Nita MacNeal "Mmhm," Nita said, nodding. "Like, most of the time you don't have to think about holding it in, unless you have to go really bad. Otherwise your body just knows to contract those muscles." Unless maybe if you have MS and your brain isn't working properly, she thought, realizing the importance of his question. "Maybe you'll be able to, I really don't know. But I can climb trees a lot better now. My claws dig into the bark and the muscles in my arms and legs are stronger. "I guess you haven't been to the beach yet? It's not far; there's a path that goes straight to it. I bet if you were out there when the sun is setting, you'd see the dolphins." Nita grinned. She'd remember to go out at dusk again soon and look for dolphins. Cody Archer "I see. And I didn't know pandas could climb trees! Thought they only eat bamboo" the only panda Cody knew was the giant one, but his knowlege of them resumed to 4 words: black, white, bamboo and China
"There's a beach? Maybe we can go see them together" he remembered what Emelyn had told him about dangerous islanders and going alone didn't seem like a good idea, specially if it involved going through the jungle Nita MacNeal "Well, I know red pandas can climb trees, because I've done it. Almost involuntarily!" Nita winked at the little joke. "But I think you're imagining the really big pandas, the black and white ones that look like bears. I'm turning into a red panda. They're a lot smaller. And red." She grinned. "And we, er.. they do eat bamboo mostly, but red pandas can also eat nuts and eggs and stuff." Nita patted Cody's knee. It probably would be a good idea for him not to go alone. "I'd like that," she told him. "Some evening, when it cools down some. Fur gets really hot, I'll tell you." Nita made a face. She was particularly greatful that all of the buildings on the island were air-conditioned. "Anyway, I'm going to leave a note for your neighbor upstairs. It was really nice to meet you, Cody." Cody Archer Cody chuckled, trying to imagine a 'hanging around on a tree' Nita "Those are the only ones I knew"
At the mention of the furs getting too hot he felt a bit sorry for her. It would probably be like wearing a wooly coat during summer
"I liked meeting you too" he half-smiled, happy for this accidental aquantaince. Up until now everyone seemed really nice and helpful Nita MacNeal "Well, know you know another one," Nita quipped. She stood up from her spot on the floor and stretched. Her t-shirt was mostly dry, but she would probably change when she got back to her duplex. "Anyway, I'm in Duplex 42, which is just a few doors down and upstairs. If you ever need anything, or just want to hang out on the beach, feel free to stop by, 'kay?" Nita headed towards the door to retrieve the bucket from the porch. Nita MacNeal Nita climbed the stairs up to Newt's duplex and set the bucket and supplies on the porch. Seeing the clipboard and pad of paper on the door, she wrote a quick note. 
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 6:25 pm
"I Told You I'm Not A Prude!" Nita MacNeal It was dusk. Nita had spent most of the day in the jungle, practicing climbing trees and just sitting around. It was peaceful there, in the shade, even if it did get awfully humid. The beach was less muggy, and there was a breeze, and with the sun going down it was cool enough for Nita's furry body. Her hair was braided as usual; she wore a tanktop and her old jeans which were practically shorts now. It was a good thing they sat rather low on her hips, now that she had a good two feet of ringed tail. Nita sat quietly with her chin resting on her knees, simply staring out across the ocean. Alec Derring Alec had spent the last few days around village and in the jungle, only ducking in to gather some food for a meal a few times a day to keep his bottomless stomach satiated.
He couldn't bear the thought of staying inside at this point and he was too aggitated to sit down and relax anywhere, so he'd often find himself wandering aimlessly. The teen was thankful he hadn't bumped into anybody yet, hoping the lucky streak would continue as he fumbled towards the beach.
Bare feet kicked up sand as he huffed to himself, making a path straight into the water. He'd gotten as deep as the premature fins on the back of his heels when he stopped and merely stood staring. What to do? Go for a swim? He wasn't the best swimmer either. Nita MacNeal Nita raised her eyebrows (which were now rather oddly defined) as the familiar form of her downstairs neighbor walked right past her and into the shallows. Alec seemed almost contemplative, or maybe just a bit stunned. Shrugging, Nita stood up and brushed the sand off of her pants and tail. She wanted to thank him for helping her that night... She vaguely remembered being seriously screwed up. She padded the few yards to the wet packed sand, making little clawed footprints. Standing a bit to Alec's left, she said, "Hey there..." Alec Derring Alec flinched and swung around as if a large bee had stung him from behind without warning. His face had the expression of fear for a moment though his mind hadn't registered who or what was infront of him yet. The look slowly melted away when he recognized the orange hair and furry complexion even though she was much more changed than the last time he'd seen her.
"Huh? Oh... Aye Nita." He numbly responded, his coursing adrenaline now nothing but a dull pain in his temples. He then realized how utterly stupid he must look and took a few steps away from the tide to try and save himself the embarassment. It was then he recalled the weird last encounter with the furry girl in her duplex. "'Ow are ye?" Nita MacNeal Nita jumped backwards, ears flattened against her head. "Woah, um.. Sorry. Didn't mean to surprise you." She attempted a smile. "Yeah.. I'm okay now. I was having some trouble with my meds." Understatement of the month, she thought wryly. She shifted back and forth slightly, hands clasped behind her back, tail moving slowly. Nita hadn't quite got the hang of moving the new appendage deliberately, but it seemed to know what to do. "Just, ah, wanted to say thanks. For helping me that night when I was.. weird." Her ears moved back to their normal upright position. "So.. how have you been?" Alec Derring Nita's twitchy movements made him want to react the same but he did his best to control his nerves and calm himself down. He knew he'd been driving himself nuts these past few days and it wasn't good for his health, mental or otherwise. "S'ekay." He shugged, moving to plop down beside her in the somewhat damp sand as if he didn't care if his shorts were soacked or not.
"Glad ye betteh." The punk teen slowly began as he picked at the displaced sand before continuing. "Ye were fookin scarin th'shite ou' a me. Like ye were g'neh start chattin 'n latin n' crawlin th'walls." He managed to make himself snicker. "'ave been.... ekay. F'theh most par'." Nita MacNeal Nita worked to control herself; she didn't like being so nervous and twitchy. Red pandas aren't exactly fearsome predators and full of confidence. She settled into a crouch, balancing delicately on the balls of her feet, claws digging into the sand, pulling her tail across her lap so it wouldn't get wet. "Thanks," she said again. "I really didn't mean to freak you out. It wasn't much fun on my end, either." She quirked her mouth into a semblance of a smile. "For the most part?" Alec Derring Alec shrugged again, not wanting to make a big deal out of his mini-mental breakdown. "Ye... been a lil bummed ou'.." He stopped and looked at the odd image of Nita squatting in the sand, suddenly finding much amusement in her new appendage. "Ye've been buseh." He smirked childishly and reached out quickly to poke at the flickering, puffy tail. "Cute." Nita MacNeal "Yeah..." Nita agreed. It was easy to get bummed out, especially if one didn't stay distracted. "Hey!" Her tail jerked away from the offending finger. "You know, you're the second person that's told me it was cute." Nita grinned. It was kind of cute, actually. Even if it did hurt like a b***h to grow. Alec Derring "I' is sorteh, looks like a teddeh's." He admittedly nodded to the description of her tail, finding it not as disturbing to look at as some of the other oddities he'd experienced. come to think of it, a fluffy girlfriend wouldn't bo THAT bad.
"Realleh now, ou's else said i'?" Now he was just pushing his luck in being nosey, boredom must have been so bad that he was resorting to such a girly tactic as gossiping for entertainment. Nita MacNeal Nita didn't think it looked like anything except what it was, but she nodded anyway. No use antagonizing Alec. Especially since she had a feeling he'd been a bit more bummed than he would admit to her. "Emelyn did," Nita replied. "I was out in the jungle after I changed and I ran into her. Actually, her dog chased me up a tree." She made a face, although she was mostly amused by the event. Alec Derring "Em's go' a dog?" Alec looked mighty confused now. Last time he'd seen the hedgehog woman, he didn't recall seeing anything dog-like. He was sure he'd remember something like that. "Where she get 'im frum?" The teen wasn't concerned about Nita's run-in with a tree anymore, like any young guy he was crazy for dogs. Nita MacNeal Nita nodded, shifting her weight. It was difficult to stay on her toes like that. She twisted her body so she could sit in the dry sand, still keeping her tail across her lap. "Yeah. Cute little guy, but he hasn't met many people, I guess, since Em's still living outside and stuff." She drew complicated swirls in the damp sand with one clawed finger. "I dunno where she got him. I didn't ask." Alec Derring Alec's enthusiasm died fast and he was back to his old glum outlook. "A' see." He nodded and wiggled his toes in the sand. Although the air was feeling a little chilly compared to the hot sun, he was sure the water would be warm.
"Huh. Ye think a' coul' play fencin?" He asked after a moment of quiet contemplation, mostly out of the blue. At this point, he was desperate for anything to keep his mind active and preoccupied. Nita MacNeal Nita cocked her head to the side. "You could ask her, though. Maybe go look for her?" She continued sketching idly in the sand. "Fencing?" she repeated, surprised. "I don't see why not. Does someone here fence?" Alec Derring Alec thought about this, snapping out of his daydreaming at Nita's question. "Uh? Oh, Ambrose. 'e asked me if a' wanteh'd t'fence wi' Amaya an' 'im. Coul' be fun, aye?" He didn't want to mention Amaya's inability to hold a fencing foil properly, some optimstic part of him hoping she'd still be able to. No use bringing up another disability.
"Ye coul'?" He turned to the red panda suddenly, seeing that her limbs were still humanesque. Nita MacNeal "Ambrose. That's the wolf-guy, right? From soc-football?" Nita corrected herself mid-word. "I can see him doing that, yeah..." Nita looked out across the water for a moment. She couldn't particularly picture Amaya fencing though, although she'd made a darned good goalie. "Who, me?" As if anyone else were sitting right behind her... Nita shrugged. "I guess I could. I was never big on sports or anything." She held out her furry arms and inspected them critically. "They're pretty strong, I guess. I've been climbing trees." Nita grinned. Alec Derring "Ye, maybeh fencin will make me buff." Alec started to laugh at himself, which was a good sign. At least he wasn't moping anymore.
"Coul' be fun, a' d'neh." He shrugged yet again and reached over to poke at her tail once more. "Red monkeh?" Nita MacNeal Nita giggled; the thought of Alec being buff was highly amusing. "Oh yeah, I'm sure that's exactly what would happen," she said, trying to keep her tone serious. Her tail flicked away without Nita even trying. "Red panda," she corrected. "Not a monkey." Alec Derring The thought that Nita was being sarcastic never even passed Alec's mind as he pictured what it'd be like to be muscled like some of the other islanders he'd come across. "Ye..."
He watched Nita's tail move away automatically and looked enthrawled. "Hu?" He mumbled, though he wasn't paying attention to what she was saying. "Maybeh a'll ge' a floofeh tail..." Nita MacNeal "Red panda," Nita said again. "They're related to the big black and white pandas, but they're smaller and have long fluffy tails like this one." Nita pointed to her own tail to elaborate. "It's what I'm turning into." The girl doubtfully eyed the rough patches of skin on Alec's arms and legs. It didn't look like Alec would be gettin a floofy anything. "Maybe," she said, a tiny smile playing at the corners of her lips. "So I guess you didn't ask what you're going to be?" Alec Derring Alec winced and rubbed his rough elbow as if he knew she'd been eyeing that particular spot just moments before. "Neh... a'... feel weird askin. A' d'n like talkin t'them." Not that he'd ever really chatted with them. He looked over Nita's shoulder as if he expected to see anything besides sand and the jungle behind.
"A' c'nt even ask f'smokes." He snickered a bit at this, realizing he was being a little foolish. But look at how they treated Amaya? He could just imagine them laughing at him maliciously just like back home. Great, not that again. Nita MacNeal "Dr. Lockheart isn't so bad though. That's the one that got hurt..." Nita trailed off, still not knowing if that particular situation had been resolved. "But she helped me when my meds were screwed up. So she'd probably tell you without jerking you around too much." Nita shrugged. It had been Dr. Duvert who had told her what she would turn into, but Aubrey still seemed the most trustworthy. If any of the doctors could be considered that. They were both better than Dr. Frost. Alec Derring Alec took the name and filed it away in his memory. "Lockhear'." He repeated back to Nita, playing with the idea of preferentially demanding to speak to this lady instead of any other. The name also sounded familiar, who the was the beor who'd taken them in once they'd arrived on the island? That day seemed like ages ago.
"Aye... ekay, maybeh a'll do tha'." He sighed and rubbed at his flat nose. Perhaps sleeping outside wasn't providing the rest he really needed. "Amma head t'bed, see ye Nita." Getting up and dusting off his shorts a bit, he turned to finally walk back towards his duplex while calling out. "Ye still a furreh prude, ya furreh prude!" Nita MacNeal "Well, g'luck then," Nita told him. "And sleep well." She scooted back a bit, preparing to stay out on the beach a while longer. Nita rolled her eyes at Alec's parting shot and yelled after him, "I'm not a prude; I've got a girlfriend!" She flipped him off and wondered only for a moment if he had actually heard her. Alec Derring Despite his distance, Alec had heard the retort. Suffice to say he nearly tripped on a tree root as he shouted back over his shoulder after the realization of what she'd said had properly sunk in. He did hear that right... right? "WHAAA?" Too bad he was too far away now for anything else to be said. His duplex was sounding good right about now.
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