Welcome to Gaia! ::

Kikue winced openly. Head honcho. That would be Moreau, wouldn't it. He threatened all of them so easily? She frowned, shaking her head. "I've only changed a little so far, I mean, on the outside." She looked again at her hands, completely human, save for the claws. Glancing up at Fiona, she tried not to look embarrassed. "I think a few small things have been affecting me, like when I wake up and fall asleep. But I haven't noticed too many new instincts creeping up on me...at least, nothing that is very noticeable."

I hope I don't do anything like that, she thought quickly. She didn't want to try to kill anyone by any means. No. She didn't want that. And the labs wouldn't want it either, would they? Wouldn't they stop her before she did something like that?

Inside, she almost wanted to rebel, and say she could stop herself. But at hearing Fiona's tale...Kikue was starting to doubt whether she could or not...the leopard was a predator, wasn't it? Would those wild instincts surface in her mind?

She sighed again, frustrated with all the questions. "What duplex are you in?" she asked offhand, as the thought struck her.

Kikue broke into soft laughter. She smiled. "Oh, alright. Well I'll look for the rock then if I want to come by and see you."

The other thoughts caused a frown. "..." She looked away, nodding as if to herself. "That's true. When I first found out, I did everything I could to try and analyze anything I did that seemed suspect. I just can't tell any of them apart. I don't know what is from the serum and what isn't. It's probably easier if people look at you instead, and can tell you what you can't see yourself." The thought was disheartening. Kikue wanted to believe she had enough insight of herself to be able to distinguish new thoughts or feelings from an outside source. But that was just it, wasn't it? How could you know? The injections...went right into your bloodstream...anything 'suspect' had probably already dug itself so far into her being that it was her now.

"I've tried to guess," she admitted quietly. "I've tried to read everything I can find so I can be ready for whatever's coming. But I still can't know..." She gave Fiona a pained look. "My transformation happened when I was out on the cliffs near the beach, in front of two people I barely knew yet. I had no idea it was coming...I have no idea what they think of me now. It was probably frightening. I know it was for me, but also to watch it..." To be helpless.

She looked away, off at the tops of the jungle trees. Her mind was awash with feelings, and she looked off deep in thought.

The mention of a nightmare made her curious. Nightmares...maybe they're a warning before changes come... Leaning forward to look at Fiona better, she saw the girl's sick look on her face. Before she had thought it through, she'd already quickly laid a clawed on the girl's arm worriedly. "Fiona? Are you alright?"

Kikue went to pull away when she felt Fiona's tenseness, but when she relaxed, so did Kikue. She gave Fiona a concerned, small frown, gazing into the girl's wild eyes. She had no idea what Fiona was thinking. It was probably about the labs, as she watched her look in their direction after speaking of her nightmare.

Kikue's hand came away respectfully. "I haven't had any nightmares yet. I guess I will eventually..." She looked to where Fiona's eyes were trained so seriously. The labs are over there.

She paused, almost suggesting to Fiona for a moment that maybe the labs weren't lying. What if her friend was in there, truly sick? Maybe from the serums...? I don't think Fiona wants to hear that right now. Kikue had had so few close friends for so much of her life, that the gesture of staying silent on something she felt might really be at least a possible case was strange to her. Yet she understood, faintly, that it wasn't the right thing to say right then.

"I'm sure your friend will be all right," Kikue said softly, and she put her hand on Fiona's to pat it for a minute. Then her eyes moved back to where the labs were, and she could only guess what was going on inside them.

Kikue smiled back. "I understand." Oh please don't try and break into the labs... "I should probably do some things too. I'll look for the, er, rock in your door and maybe drop by again." Standing up, she gave the red-headed girl another smile, thinking about all she had learned about the Island from her. She needed to record some of this...

Kikue silently waved Fiona off to do whatever it was that she was planning. When the girl had gone, Kikue turned back to her duplex, ascending the wooden stairs back to her balcony. With one last look in Fiona's direction, she unlocked her door and went inside, gasping with relief as the cool air pummeled her on the way in. She felt she could finally breathe inside.

With a tiny peek out the door, she closed it behind her and locked it. She wouldn't be able to forget that rabbit-girl any time soon.

Joshua, too, has been keeping to himself ever since his very first change. His height was making it difficult for him to stay inside for too long, however. While he's been continuing to see Colche for her daily lessons, he has been careful to try and not be seen while sneaking between duplexes.

Of course, as tall as he is, staying hidden wasn't so easy. He was bound to run into someone at some point, and today seemed to be the day. He had made a quick detour to the cafeteria for some food, and was now on his way back to his own duplex when he saw the half-goat man. He paused in his tracks, looking down, startled.

"Er. Hello," he greeted the other man, trying not to convey his uneasiness. He hoped one day he would get used to seeing new changed islanders...

"Um... excuse me?" Josh asked in surprise. Surely he couldn't have heard him right? He knew he was tall, but... he supposed everyone wasn't as nice as Colche. "I'm... er... Joshua," he said, deciding to leave out his title. It wasn't like he was officially a teacher anymore. His eyes travelled over Stewart, from his horns to his furred legs, wondering what animal the shorter man was turning into. "It's nice to meet you," he said, holding out his hand.

Joshua frowned a little as he thought about it. "Not as long as other people. I've been here for over a month... of course, I didn't look like this when I arrived. How long have you been here?" he asked.