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Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
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 Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 11:14 am
Consciousnes slowly swam back to Thomas. It was difficult to place how long he had been out. Minutes? Hours? Days? He was groggy, his head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. His body ached, his mouth was dry, and it felt like his brain had been run over a few times by a heavy vehicle.
The memory doesn't come back immediately, but after a few moments of semi-consciousness it hits you. You had been on the bus with the rest of the team. There was the sound of a horn and a sudden jerk..... and that was it.
As you open your eyes to the dim lighting in the room, the fuzzy shapes resolve themselve to an all too mundane setting. It looks like almost any hotel room that you had stayed in. Just as banal - blue-grey carpeting, off-white walls and ceiling, lamp, bookshelf, minifridge, and the door that doubtlessly led to a bathroom. The only thing relatively out of place was the white-haired man sitting on the chair beside your bed, watching you with an inquisitive look.
A smile crossed his face as you open your eyes. "Mr. Brinkley. I am glad to see that you are awake."
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 11:24 am
His head was throbbing, a dull, muffled pain lingering just out of reach of focus. Thom was no stranger to head injuries--or any injuries, for that matter. But this one, unlike so many others, could not be pinpointed, and therefore could not be ignored. Just a constant, clouded throb.
With a groan, he sat up, and immediately regretted it. Head swimming, he fell back to the mattress, only then aware of the dull ache throughout the rest of his body. Cursing under his breath, he lifted a hand to his skull, pulling it away when it came into contact with the bandage upon his forehead. As if he had flipped a switch, the touch triggered a memory and, frowning, he opened his eyes.
This was certainly not the bus he noted as the room gradually sharpened into focus. Once the blurred outline of the ceiling fan above his bed cleared, he risked a glance around, sending his vision spinning once more. The voice arrived before his mind had even acknowledged the man perched on the chair beside him. "Brinley.. It's Brinley. Where'm I?"
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Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 11:33 am
The man looked embarrassed, looked down at a clipboard quickly before back to Thomas. "Brinley! My apologies!" It was obvious that whoever this was was not the most dedicated of soccer fans.
"Take it easy. You had quite the spill." He continued in a French-touched accent. "My name is Dr. Duvert. I'm not sure how much you remember.... but there was something of an accident. You've been out for a few days now, but our excellent medical staff has been seeing to your injuries. There has already been a large settlement and your recovery will be overseen by our excellent staff at this deluxe rehabilitation center."
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 11:43 am
"Quite alright," he muttered without thought, closing his eyes and lifting a hand to gingerly cover them. Days? How long was days, exactly? The game--they had another in a week. Or, a week from the day of the accident...whenever that had been. But if there was an accident, perhaps it would be postponed? What of the rest of the team?
Eyes still closed, he brushed aside the doctor's words with a wave of his free hand, absently taking note of his accent. Somewhere in France, then. How delightful... "Yes, yes, I'll be fine, I'm sure. What of th' team?"
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Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 11:49 am
"It's been only about two days since you were injured. But you seem to be coming along fine. You sustained a concussion, and so we're goign to be monitering you. I fyou have any side effects, we want you to let us know." He gestured to an intercom panel on the wall. "Just press zero to get a hold of one of the doctors."
He paused for a moment at the question, looking seriously down at the clipboard before looking up to him again with a smile. "They were a bit luckier. Some had some bruises, a few broken bones, but they were all out-patients."
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 11:57 am
He grimaced. Two days... He would be up and about in time for the game, he was sure. But broken bones? How many? He needed more details, by God!
Letting his hand fall, he sat up, intending to speak, but abruptly fell silent when his head gave an unpleasant spin. Details could wait, then... Yes, it was probably for the best. But he remained sitting upright, willing his vision to clear. "Right... Ah, thank you, doctor, I'll keep you updated. I'm sure I'll 'ave some questions once m' thoughts clear a bit."
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Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 12:02 pm
"You're very welcome, Mr. Brinley. Rest up, take it easy. There is a cafeteria just out there." He nodded towards the door. "As well as a rec room and entertainment facilities. We have beaches, and anything else that you could need."
He made to stand up, before stooping down to pick up a familiar object. Setting the soccer ball down on the bed with a smile he continued. The Feral Labs logo was on one of the white pentagons. "A gift. Don't tax yourself too much, but we figured you'd probably feel more ... at home with this."
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 12:10 pm
Southern France, he thought dryly, but managed a nod. Ugh, tourists. And nearing summer as well. Hopefully this center was as high-class as the Dr. Duvert implied and had a private beach.
Thom lifted his head slightly as the gift was set beside him, brightening up immediately at the sight. Nevermind the fact that this meant his stay might be longer than planned--they hadn't forgotten about him. Life would be much more tolerable with the chance to sneak out for practice every so often, rather than sit indoors all day as most hospitals would have him do. "Again, thank you. I'll give it a day or so b'fore I resume playin'."
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Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 12:13 pm
Sabin gave him a more exuberant smile. "That sounds like a good plan, Mr. Brinley. Take care, and don't hesitate to give us a ring if you need anything." He gave him a small nod and a wave before heading out the door.
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 12:18 pm
Another nod was given in place of a good bye, and Thom watched as Sabin slipped from the room. The moment he was gone and effort was made to climb to his feet, but the movement merely resulted in a particularly painful throb through his skull. Hissing, he sunk back down on the bed, sweeping the soccer ball to the floor with a wave of his arm and curling up to sleep away the concussion.
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Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 8:40 pm
Mr. Condescending
Meeting Nita :3
Nita MacNeal Dressed casually in shorts and a t-shirt, Nita sat at a corner table in the cafeteria. She had a fruit salad and a grilled-cheese sandwich in front of her, and a book lay propped open next to her plate. Nita was considerably cheered by her earlier meeting with Chubbs. She had definitely needed that hug. Nita ate slowly and neatly, alternately taking a few bites and reading a couple of pages. The cafeteria was empty, although she wouldn't be surprised if other islanders showed up; it was just about a 'normal' mealtime. Thomas Brinley Thom had slepped most of the day away, waking every so often and attempting to rise, only to be lured back to bed by a pounding headache that simply refused to let up. But off towards evening, hunger had gotten the best of him, and he had reluctantly climbed to his feet, somewhat awkwardly making his way towards the cafeteria Dr. Duvert had mentioned. If what the doctor had said was true, he hadn't eaten in some days... That would have to be remedied. He found the cafeteria without much effort, pushing open the door with his shoulder and slipping inside. One hand remained stubbornly fixed to the side of his head, as if that alone was keeping him upright and balanced as he made his way to the buffet. After fixing a tray with random foodstuffs that caught his eye, he turned, balancing said tray on one hand, towards the tables, only then realizing how empty the room was. After a moment of indecision, he stepped over to the table where the woman sat, sliding into a seat across from her, failing to immediately note her...changes. "Evenin'. Mind if I sit here?" Nita MacNeal Nita looked up from her book, not realizing at first why the man in front of her looked so strange. Oh. He was still human. Her breath caught in her throat. He didn't seem to notice her own odd appearance. Surely he knew what was going on here...? "Sure," she said, composure regained. "I'm Nita." The redhead took note of the current page number and closed her book. Thomas Brinley He let his hand fall from his head and turned whole-heartedly to his meal, but paused at her sudden intake of breath, glancing up and quirking a brow. Something seemed...off, he mused, giving the girl a curious once-over. But, this was some sort of hospital...place. Perhaps she was diseased. ...On that note, was it safe to sit near her? "Thom," he offered after a moment, returning his gaze back to his meal. "Brinley. Pleasure, I'm sure." Nita MacNeal "Nice to meet you, Thom. So," Nita said, between forkfuls of melon and apple slices, "When did you get here?" She shifted in her chair, sitting cross-legged. If Thom had looked, he would see red fur-covered legs and dark-nailed feet, matching her fuzzy arms and hands. She smiled and noted the bandage on Thom's forehead. "Y'okay?" she asked. "That looks nasty." Thomas Brinley "If what Dr. Duvert says is correct, about two days ago." Without looking up, he jabbed his fork into a piece of hamburger, absently dipping it in a large pile of ketchup. He grimaced, eyes flickering up towards the bandage, but merely shrugged. "Gettin' there, anyway. Suffered a concussion, from what I've been told. I've 'ad worse." One the way back to his plate, his eyes one again fell on the girl before him, but this time, now that he'd had a few bites to eat, he allowed himself to stare, gaze tracing the Nita's strange facial features before noting the...fur towards the base of her neck. "Pardon my forwardness, but..what is wrong with you? Can't say I've seen, ah... Well, nevermind. My apologies. How long've you been here, then?" Nita MacNeal Nita nodded. Even if Dr. Duvert was definitely a bit off, he had at least been honest with her. She wondered absently who else Thom must have met in two days. It never occurred to her that she might be the first. "Ouch," she muttered, wincing sympathetically. Nita blinked. Alright, now it occurred to her that Thom might not know what the hell was going on here. "Almost two months," she said, answering his latter question first. "And there's nothing wrong with me." Nita flushed, hands moving unconcsiously to touch her black, damp nose. Thomas Brinley "Two months?" he repeated after finishing off his hamburger bite. Two months? That was utterly ridiculous. The girl seemed in perfect health. Except for the facial differences, and the profuse body hair... But surely that didn't warrant remaining at a hospital facility for two months? "And nothing wrong," he mused aloud, giving her a skeptical look. "Then you're, what, turning into a cat or somethin'?" For the first time, he cracked a grin, shaking his head at the absurd thought and cutting another piece of hamburger with his fork. Nita MacNeal "Yup, since the beginning of April. Others have been here since last fall." Nita shook her head. Not-quite-two months was nothing compared to, say, Cassidy's term on the Island. "Red panda," she said, in a matter-of-fact way. Nita flicked her braids over her shoulder and speared a peice of fruit with her fork. Thomas Brinley "Red panda!" He agreed, noddng enthusiastically and ceasing only when it sent a sharp pain through his skull. Of course, she wasn't a cat at all. How silly of him. ...It was all a prank. Mind, he was extremely tempted to play along--knowing the team, he would wind up in bed with miss panda girl here, which was quite alright for him--but on the same note, he wanted to finish his meal. Wanted to leave this hospital resort..thing and be back in time for the game one Friday. Chuckling idly to himself, he set his fork down on his plate, resting his arm on the table and leaning forward toward Nita. "Right, then, who put you up to this? Aaron, was it? Th' team's prob'ly lurkin' just outside th'door, hm?" Nita MacNeal Or maybe he did understand... Nita's barely-formed hope was dashed at the mention of some sort of trick. "What? I don't know anyone named Aaron." She blinked and took a deep breath. So this was what it was like to 'break the news' to a new Islander. Oh joy, oh rapture. "Seriously. I'm turning into a red panda. Everyone here is being turned into an animal." Or multiple animals, she thought, thinking of Chubbs and Cass. Thom probably didn't need to know that quite yet. Nita waved an arm to indicate the whole village. "I dunno what they told you to get you here, but whatever it is, it's a lie." Thomas Brinley He sat back in his seat with a nod, absently tugging at his goatee in a thoughtful manner. "Not Aaron, hm... Ah, I'll agree with you there. He wouldn't bother with a concussion. Now, per'aps Marlo..." He trailed off, for the moment ignore her while he inwardly debated over who could have come up with such a ruse. However, nothing seemed entirely plausible. Furry women was a stretch for anyone on the team. Finally returning his eyes to Nita, he quirked a brow, smiling kindly and reverting back to his original decision: She was diseased. Mentally as well as physically, he decided. Hopefully it wasn't contageous. "Turnin' into an animal... Well, that's one I 'aven't 'eard b'fore. Pray tell, what'm I turnin' into, Nita?" Nita MacNeal Nita's eyes narrowed and she was very tempted to snap at him. There was no need to humor her like that. If only one of the other islanders would show up... But no. It wouldn't be nice to sic Mr. Concussion on anyone else. Suck it up, Neets; stay calm.She shook her head again, muttering something along the lines of, "I don't know anyone named Marlo, either." With a sigh, Nita gave Thom a pitying look and replied honestly. "I don't know what you'll be, but you could ask the staff. They may be whackos, but Duvert was honest with me when I asked him." So he didn't believe her. Big surprise. She hadn't been the most accepting when she had first arrived. Thom would know first-hand she was telling the truth before long. Thomas Brinley "Nah," he winked, retrieving his fork and impaling what remained of his hamburger. "Why ruin the surprise, hmm? I'm sure I'll learn when I start changin'." He wiggled his fingers ominously, then, laughing, finished off the last of his burger pattie. "Though, t'be honest with you, lovely, I doubt I'll be here that long. Game on Friday, you know. I'll be up and about and out by then," he preened, adding a jab of his fork for emphasis. Nita MacNeal Nita twitched at being treated in such a condescending way. She had always hated being talked down to, especially when she had been in a good mood before. "Look," she told him, trying to look him straight in the eyes. "I know you don't believe me right now, but it's true. Maybe it would have been better if someone else had told you all this, since I'm relatively new here myself." Nita chewed her lip for a moment before continuing. "I can guarantee you won't be playing in any game on Friday, unless the labs brought your whole team here." Although she wouldn't put it past them, ganking so many people at once would be awfully conspicuous. She poked at the crusts of her sandwich, not really hungry anymore. Thomas Brinley "Ah, but we've already discussed that. They're waiting just outside th' door, remember?" The glanced towards the door in question, as if expecting half of his teammates to suddenly barge in, but didn't seem the least bit put out when they failed to appear. Instead, he climbed to his feet, scooping up his tray and moving to put it away. "Tell you what, Nita--I'll ask real nice, an' per'aps Dr. Duvert'll let you come t' m' game. Do you some good t' get out among a normal crowd." Nita MacNeal Nita frowned and shook her head again. For his sake, she wished his team really would be right outside, and told him so. There was no use in getting upset by his denial, although the remark about 'getting out with a normal crowd' stung a little. "You've no idea," she said softly, eyes following his movements. Thomas Brinley Feeling much better for the meal and amusing conversation, Thom set down his tray and started for the door, waving a goodbye over his shoulder. "A pleasure meeting you, Nita. If I'm still here Friday, I'll search you out." With a final dry laugh, he nudged open the door and started back for his duplex. Nita MacNeal "You do that," Nita called after him. "I'm in duplex 42." Making a face at his retreating back, Nita gathered up her plate and utensils. After depositing them in the proper bin, she decided to wander about the building. Maybe there were new books in at the library.
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Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:10 pm
...Not a prank?
Meeting Antony Thomas Brinley Bed rest did not suit well with Thom. After a day of attempting to follow Sabin's instructions, he had given in and fled his duplex for the much more interesting outdoors. Though, interesting my have been an understatement... He had spent a good few hours simply wandering the jungle just beyond the village, admiring the unusual plantlife and enjoying the near-tropical atmosphere. A high class establishment indeed if they went to such efforts to allow their guests a chance to relax--and in such peace! Thom hadn't seen a single tourist--nor anyone else--all day long and was positively thrilled. Perhaps he could make the best of his short stay after all... Relax away from the crowds, heal up a bit, and come back with a will during the game. As evening began to approach, he retreated back towards his duplex, remaining indoors just long enough to produce, oddly enough, a yo-yo from his belongings before slipping onto the front porch to amuse himself with said toy. Just because he couldn't play football yet, didn't mean he couldn't enjoy himself. Antoinette Devereux Antony had long given up on trying to hide her changes, and was back to wearing her short tank tops and a pair of low slung board shorts. With the cast, pants were more of a hassle than a comfort. Currently, she was crutching her way back to her own duplex from dinner at the cafeteria when she caught scent of someone she didn't recognize in the wind. She stiffened and went perfectly still, though her tails fidgeted nervously as she breathed in the strange scent. Thankfully for her albino eyes, the sun wasn't in her eyes when she looked over at the source of the smell. He looked new, human, and quite content. And that usually meant he was oblivious to what was going around here, or he was rather demented. Either way, he seemed harmless, and she relaxed, watching his yo-yo tricks absently before sighing and crutching towards him. Better her than someone like Billy right? Thomas Brinley The unmistakable sounds of someone approaching provoked a grimace, and Thom pointedly ignored the stranger until he had successfully run through another few yo-yo tricks. However, when Antony didn't seem to be leaving, he spared her a glance, preparing a dry comment in the hopes of scaring the stranger away. However, it never came. He opened his mouth to speak, but found himself completely lost for words, having forgotten whatever it was he had planned at the sight of the squirrel woman. This...she was much farther along than Nita with...whatever it was that was happening. But nothing was happening, he reminded himself, though the sight was nonetheless rather disturbing. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he managed a weak grin, cocking his head up at the woman. The yo-yo had long since fallen to the ground, hanging limply on it's string form his unmoving hand. "...So, Aaron send you, then?" Antoinette Devereux The squirrel woman again went stiff, only this time it was out of fear of the known. Aaron. Certainly he couldn't be here? She tried to cover her panicked expression by coughing, tails moving sharply behind her as she composed herself once more. He had an accent. Aaron was from the states, and this guy obviously was not from around there. Besides, Aaron was a common name. Right? "There aren't any Aaron's on the island," Antony responded while crutching over to where he was situated. It was obvious that her though her broken leg could be faked, the fur and the tails were very much real and attached. Thomas Brinley Ahh, she had recognized the name. Lovely, Aaron had slipped up and picked a bad actress. Nita had been nearly convincing towards the end there, but with this woman's reaction, Thom no longer doubted that he was in the middle of his friend's prank. With a few acceptions, naturally. The crash had been real enough.. But Aaron wanted to put everyone at ease by pulling a joke. It made perfect sense. "Island?" He raised a brow, absently tugging up the yo-yo and beginning to wrap it back up. "We aren't on an island." Antoinette Devereux With his comment Antony actually burst out laughing, nearly loosing her balance as well, but her tails kept her upright. "And I'm an actress in a movie," she choked out between chuckles. Despite her amusement, Antony was starting to get rather irritated at these new people who were in denial. Maybe she should carry around the damned picutre of her before she changed. "Once you're injected, there's no going back," she stated simply, shrugging slightly before moving to turn and head back to her duplex, tails in clear view. "I'm really not in the mood to coddle and play Freak Show Tour Guide tonight... Maybe tomorrow." A dismissive wave was given to him as she started to crutch back towards her duplex. Thomas Brinley He frowned, losing interest in his yo-yo at present in favor of glaring at the squirrel woman. What on earth was she talking about? Injection? Tour guide? Tails...? He stared after her, utterly bewildered, and not even at her rear, for the multiple tails obstructed his view. Moving tails. Twitch, swaying, mocking him. Those couldn't possibly be fake. But... "Now, wait one moment," he snapped, pocketing the yo-yo and starting after her. "What in God's name're you talkin' about? I 'aven't been injected." Not that he knew of, at any rate... Antoinette Devereux "I'm sure you have," she replied simply, not even bothering to look back at him. He may be cute, but the squirrel woman wasn't exactly interested in 'breaking in' a new islander, sexually or otherwise. "Regardless of what you think lad, you're stuck here, and you won't stay human." Along with her tails, the squirrel woman's leg structure only supported her statement. Either way, she wasn't a ******** babysitter. Thomas Brinley "I 'aven't," he snapped, stubbornly following along just behind her. Had he? Duvert had said he was out for a couple of days, perhaps they administered this injection during that time? ...But why did it matter? The situation was utterly ridiculous. Even if the woman's tails and legs argued for the possibility. Quickening his pace, he stepped around before her, standing squarely in her path. "Tell me what's goin' on." Antoinette Devereux "Why should I have to play teacher when you're not going to believe me anyways?" Antony retorted, dutifully ignoring the pleasant smell of the attractive man in front of her. Damn her senses to hell. This was -not- the time. Regardless of how close or tall he was, she stood her ground and looked him square in the eyes. Let him be freaked out by her changed eyes. "You act like it's natural for people to look like this." She made a sharp gesture to herself accompanied by an irritated sneer. At least she'd get paid if this were a circus. Thomas Brinley Her eyes served their intended purpose, and a faint shiver ran down his spine, but he quickly brushed it off. Contact lenses. Some sort of bizarre contacts. That was all. Though try as he might, he still couldn't logically justify the malformed legs and multiple tails. Nor, at that, the woman's face itself, which before he'd thought to be a mask, but a closer inspection proved that theory impossible. He held up both hands as if to ward away, though the gesture seemed more mental than physical, for he remained where he stood. "I never I said I wouldn't b'lieve you." Which did not necessarily mean he would, mind. "I've only been here... Three days, I've been told, but I've only been awake since mid-yesterday. Dr. Duvert claimed this was some sort of hospital...?" Antoinette Devereux "It's only a hospital if you get hurt," she explained curtly, scowling at his gesture, absently grinding her teeth when he didn't move out of her way. At the mention of Dr. Duvert's name, Antony only grinned. The expression wouldn't be too comforting either. "I guarentee you've been injected if you were under Dr. Duvert's care." It seemed this one would only shake his denial when he changed for the first time. Thomas Brinley Thom's head reeled, a dull, pounding headache beginning at the back of his skull. Not a hospital? Of course it was a hospital. What else would he be doing here? After the wreck--he had a game on Friday! She was mad. Mad as Nita, and suffering from the same disease. Yes. A special center. But why was he here? He was perfectly fine. Only a mild concussion... "Injection. What injection?" he questioned, interrupting his own thoughts. "Why's it important?" Antoinette Devereux "Do you need to ******** tug on one of my tails to get it through your THICK skull that I'm not in costume?!" The woman suddenly barked. She didn't have time for this, nor did she really want to deal with this s**t. It was humiliating, and she had better things to do. "They're changing people into animals using some kind of gene therapy. We're all science experiments damnit!" Her hands gripped her crutches tightly as she tried to keep her bottled up anger from spilling into physical violence. Thomas Brinley And there it was. The sheer absurdity of the statement made him relax, and he even went so far as to chuckle softly, shaking his head. Changing people into animals. It was the same thing Nita had said. And despite the fact that this woman's appearance made the notion extremely convincing, he wasn't quite ready to accept it just yet. Science hadn't progressed that far. The mere idea was absolutely mad. Beside, people would notice if he was kidnapped to be turned into some creature. "Thank you for clearing that up," he finally responded, nodding absently. "Now, if you'll excuse me..." Trailing off, he stepped around her and started for his duplex, retrieving the yo-yo from his pocket. Antoinette Devereux A growl left her throat at his blatently dismissal of her and the truth, and with a cheerful flick of her tails, she slid her crutch out to the side just enough to trip the Brit. "You're not excused," she chittered in annoyance, not really waiting for the sound of his body contacting the ground before she too began to crutch off towards her duplex. "Oh and there's someone from your neck of the woods, accent wise, in duplex 33," she called back to him with a small smile. Billy was one reality check this one couldn't deny sober. Period. Thomas Brinley He tripped, stumbled, by righted himself and resumed his steps, well used to doing so from countless football games of avoiding opponents' kicks. Satisfied with the conversation's end, he ignored her, though her parting remark caught his attention and he stowed away the number for future reference. Briefly, he wondered how it was that he could meet two Americans but only one Brit in the south of France, but he brushed it aside. That was a puzzle for another day. For now, he ducked into his duplex, retreating to the safety of his room rather than risk another conversation outdoors. Meeting a squirrel woman was quite enough for one night.
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:05 pm
And realization strikes...
Meeting Alec Alec Derring Alone at his own table, Alec sat and enjoyed his music, propped up on the chair's backlegs with a cigarette hanging from his lips. Oblivious to everything else, the teen reached over once and awhile to grab a hunk of tuna salad sandwich before returning to his head-bobbing. He really wanted beef jerky today but he was convinced it'd take him at least an hour to chew off peices in a civilized manner.
The caf was silent save for the rhythmic tapping on his drumsticks against the edge of the table as well as the rowdy punk music that escaped from the headphones, was most likely cranked to a deafening volume. Thomas Brinley After the previous evening's encounter, Thom had spent the evening pondering over what little he could remember since the crash, more specifically since his arrival on the island and meetings with the two women. They could possibly be serious, right? It had to be a joke... In some horrible, sadistic way, it had to be a joke. But the memory of those far-too-realistic tails and the strange changes to that squirrel woman's legs still lingered, holding the obvious explanation just over his head. He refused to accept it. After wasting most of the day unhappily in his duplex, he had braved the outdoors and another possible meeting for the short walk to the cafeteria. Upon reaching it, he headed directly for the buffet, sparing the stranger a glance only when he heard the tapping of drumsticks--and, pausing, he raised a brow, watching curiously for a moment. Nevermind that the man was built a tad strangely, it was the mohawk that caught his eye. These centers certainly attracted some strange people. Alec Derring Alec didn't even hear or see the newcomer as he entered the room, banging the drumsticks in an obnoxious bridge. Movement out of the corner of his eye finally caught his attention, the punk teen glancing over with a curious gaze as he didn't recognize the person from behind. Someone else he'd managed to miss all this time?
"AYE!" He called over bluntly, not really caring if the person was a stranger or not. "Pick me up soom rohst beef, will ye?" Twirling a drumstick, he slipped them both in his pockets and reached over for the glass of water that was on the table. Thomas Brinley The teen's shout served to snap Thom back to his senses and, surprisingly, he complied, continuing on to the buffet and fixing himself a plate, piling a second with roast beef for the stranger and retreating back to the table. Taking a seat across from Alec, he passed over the plate and dug into his own, helping himself to a few bites before near-shouting over the teen's music--which, judging by how loudly he could hear it, must be deafening to Alec. "What group's that?" Alec Derring Alec watched the kid take a seat infront of him, sitting up for a moment only to slide the dish closer to himself. "Thank ye!" He smirked, the tips of his teeth only visible if one looked fairly hard. His greyish-tinted skin and flattened nose were obvious enough however, though he didn't seem to mind at all in the presence of someone unchanged. Maybe he was new?
"WUH?" He yelled and frowned before realizing it was him who was accidently drowning him out. He flicked the button to turn off the sound and removed the headphones quickly, out of respect. "Oh, uh. Is' Floggin' Molly. A' c'nt remembeh where a' put me Ramones CD..." How horrible, it was driving him insane. "Hey, ye'new 'round 'ere?" He bluntly cut to the chase, never thinking such a direct question would be impolite. Thomas Brinley In closer proximity, the changes were much more obvious--and, with the lack of fur, more realistic. Fun was easily. There were tons of movies out there with furry people. And maybe he would let the greyish, patchy arms slide, but the flattened nose and glimpse of pointed teeth caught his attention. He shrugged them away, focusing instead on his meal. The so-called 'changes' would only be more apparent if he looked for them. If he ignored them, someone would eventually give in and admit to the prank. "Floggin' Molly," he repeated aloud, more at a normal volume now that the music had died down. "Can't say I've 'eard of them. Pity about your CD," he added, not very convincingly. The Ramones he had heard of, though he wasn't much of a fan. The bluntness of the question didn't phase him in the least; after the teen's outburst about the roastbeef, he had expected as much. "Been 'ere a few days now. Why?" Alec Derring Alec stuffed a piece of beef into his mouth, chewing awkwardly as he listened to the kid talk. He made sure there were plenty of napkins handy when he ate here at the caf, still sensitive about the mess he made when he attempted to eat with the unnatural razor blades in his mouth. It was a pity the kid didn't like Floggin' but he was convinced that no one on the island had any taste for music anyways.
He waited for the answer before giving another sly smirk. "Cuz ye look lack a newbeh." He snickered quietly, poking fun. In all honesty, the guy didn't look very maladjusted so it wasn't exactly obvious that he was new around the island, except for the fact that he was 'unchanged'. "How ye fairin'?" Thomas Brinley The meal, on the other hand, had the opposite effect on Thom. He found he didn't care too terribly about his own eating habits after watching the stranger eat. Poor kid seemed to be having a trouble of things. ....Served him right for filing his teeth. Grinning faintly, Thom speared a piece of roast off his own plate, taking a large bite and swallowing before acknowledging the teen's response. "Why, b'cause 'M 'still human'?" he drawled, rolling his eyes. He wouldn't be at all surprised if that was the reason. Try to unnerve him--hah. He was on to their game! "Could be worse, I s'pose. T'least it's quiet around 'ere. Though, I ran into some b'zarre...albino woman last night who was tryin' t' convince me that everyone's turnin' into animals." Laughing, he finished off his piece of roast. Alec Derring Alec didn't get why the kid was looking so amused, the sarcasm in his words completely missing him. Maybe he really liked his food or something? "'Am 'uman." The teen stared at him for a moment, flashbacks of his conversations with Antony coming to mind. "'Am joost changed a lil."
His face lost all sense of amusement when he mentioned the "albino lady", steel grey eyes fixed on person sitting infront of him. He fell silent until he suddnely burst into laughter, his rows of curved teeth now in plain view. How funny was it that he'd mention her? It was like the squirrel lady was the official saucy welcome party for all newbies. "Ma God, ye think this s'fake?!" he tried not to be rude, but his naive nature was way too amusing not to laugh as loudly as he was. "Ye met m'mate Antony? She tol' me tha too when a got 'ere. N'look, she was righ'!" Thomas Brinley His grin faded to nothing as the teen broke into loud laughter, and he actually paled slightly as the pointed teeth added to the crazed effect. This guy, he didn't quite seem...all there in the head. A better way to put it would be a punk-loving teen who'd blasted his own brains out by playing his music too loud--and innocent. This wasn't a lie. This wasn't an act. Slamming his fork down on the table, he rose from his chair, nearly knocking it over in the process. "Bloody 'ell, man--what's going on 'ere? People can't just turn into animals! I 'ave a game on Friday," he finished, a pleading note rising in his voice. Alec Derring Alec's laughter was abruptly cut short by the guy's outburst, the last bit of a chuckle fading away into an awkward ending. It was then that he noticed how wrong he'd been to laugh at how misinformed and naive he was. God knows he was just as lost and confused when he found out, and no one had laughed at him. "'Ey 'ey, issok mate." The punk teen raised his hands in a non-threatening gesture, trying to calm him down as best as he could by trying to relay the facts. "A' know s'crazeh, bu' is true a' swear i'. Th' Doc 'ere... 'e's crazeh. We're all 'is fookin playthings. All taken froom our families too. "
He wasn't sure if these statements would offer any closure but the irish boy wasn't exactly very good at comforting. He figured he should at least get an A for effort though. Thomas Brinley He relaxed somewhat now that someone was actually explaining, and, after a pause, went so far as to right his chair and sink back down in his seat. Sighing, he shook his head, glancing around the room as if expecting someone to jump out singing the Candid Camera theme. When no TV host appeared, he returned his eyes to the teen, gaze almost immediately locking on the sharpened teeth. "So... everyone 'ere, this isn't an act--they're really changin'? What're you...turnin' into?" Without waiting for a response, he continued, "But it's not permanent, right? Or we--we can leave? Th' team knows I'm 'ere, there was a wreck, I 'ad... 'ad a concussion. But th' game's Friday. I'll be able to attend, right?" Alec Derring Alec was a little confused by the nonesense he was uttering now, the guy's nerves obviously getting the best of him. Thankfully the one thing Alec was apparently good at, was listening. "Ye... theh' all changin. We're... all changin. A d'neh wha' exactleh... maybeh a shawk?" The teen quickly tryied to keep up with the rapid questions, expecting that sort of reaction now that it was beginning to sink in.
"Is permanen', a think. Theh's some pehple 'roung 'ere a lo' worse, yanno. Fawtheh alon'. Lack me frien' Amaya n' stoof. Bu' we can't leave. A've been told not t'try eitheh." After he'd finished the last statement, Alec sternly looked over at him as if to warn him not to bother. He'd seen people being taken away and it was enough to scare him into being quiet and orderly. "Theh put pehple in cagehs fo' fookin sakes." He didn't want to scare him but he didn't want him to go on some rampage and end up being a personal labrat for some psycho either.
"M'name's Alec by th'way. Pehple aw nice 'roung 'ere..." Thomas Brinley "A shark," he repeated dolefully, eyeing the teen as if he'd just announced that Europe had been leveled in an earth quake. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, balancing on the two back legs and lifting one hand o rub his temple near the still-present bandage. "Mary Mother o' God..." "Thom," he finally offered, not bothering to look up. "Nice, eh? I'll take y' word for it." A pause. "I need a drink. Don't s'pose there's a bar around 'ere, hm?" Alec Derring Alec took the opportunity to light his cigarette with the lighter he'd produced from his pants pocket, puffing on it for a moment of relaxation. Glad that Thom was apparently calmed down for the most part, he gave the guy a moment to think.
"Actually, ye." He smirked at his question, nodding in the direction that the beach was in compared to where he was sitting. "Theh's a baw a' th'beach." He remembered how 'useful' that place was in helping the islanders unwind and just plain goof off. It was probably best that he got himself liquored up a bit to take the edge off of the bad news.
A thought struck him as he mentioned the beach, his brow furrowing at the recollection of the bad encounter. "Aye... if ye see a tigeh man named Jamal theh, leave 'em alone. Th' guy's a nut." The irish kid mumbled crossly, finishing off his plate of beef quite fast. Thomas Brinley He nodded and likely would've replied had not the smoke wafting from Alec's cigarette provoked a coughing fit. Grimacing, he waved the smoke away, coughing lightly until his lungs cleared of the unwelcome intrusion, and settled for simply nodding in response. Lovely. A crazed tiger man. Exactly what he wanted to hear about. "Right, well," he finally choked out, rising to his feet and breathing deeply. "I'm goin' to, ah, 'ead that way, then. Thanks for..clearin' things up, Alec." Alec Derring Unlike other smokers, Alec glanced over as Thom started coughing and immediately felt guilty. Most of the time he didn't even think about other peoples' preferences and the like before doing what he wanted. THe funny thing was that before he came to the island, he probably wouldn't have looked twice at someone objecting to his smoking. "Sorreh mate." He mumbled and lowered the arm that held the cigarette, trying to keep the smoke out of his face in vain. "'kay, a'll see ye 'round. 'Am in numbeh forteh-woon if ye need me. Take i' easeh." He'd probably feel worse later for being the one to have to break the bad news but for now the teen was content to be of use. Thomas Brinley "S'alright," Thom assured him, though the gesture did serve to cheer the man, however slightly. "Fourty one," he repeated, storing the number away if his memory, then, still nodding weakly to himself, started out of the cafeteria, leaving his unfinished meal on the table. "You need anythin', I'm in fourty five." Not that he would be much help at present, he reasoned, grimacing. Pushing open the door, he stepped out into the growing dusk and started in the direction Alec had pointed him. Alec Derring Alec nodded and gave a short wave as Thom left, watching him until the door to the caf swung shut. The room seemed a lot more empty and cold than usual. Glancing over and not spotting the cafeteria lady around, the teen sat all the way back in his chair, propping his teetering form with a leg against the table. He stared at the ceiling with a cynical smile, taking another drag of his cig.
Without another word, he fixed himself a tray of food to take back to his room for satiating his growing appetite and left.
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Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 1:14 pm
Foreshadowing~...
Meeting Cass Thom was terribly bored. And, with the knowledge that he had a game shortly--providing he got off the island as planned--he had begun practicing earlier in the day and kept at it for much of the afternoon, using whatever landmarks were available to accomplish various drills. Eventually his sporting had led him away from the village and, after hovering near the edge of the jungle for ten minutes or so, he had abandoned all inhibitions and taken his game to the loam. The trees were players of the rival team. Avoid them all, make it to the goal...wherever happened to be. With the ease of long practice, he manuvered the ball around and through the closely spaced trees, weaving here, looping there, generally finding every way he could to add to the challenge. The unfamiliar and unlevel jungle floor did add to the difficulty, but that only made the drill all the more enjoyable. Kicking a ball across flat, open ground was terribly dull when you were alone. Jungles were much more interesting. Cass had been coiled over a low branch for perhaps a half an hour, half-dozing and bored and thinking. She needed something to do with herself, really. She was going to go crazy this way.
What was that sound?
She could make out some sort of heat source, human in shape, coming through the trees; whoever it was, they smelled unfamiliar. Cassidy began to uncoil herself and slither down the tree trunk. Maybe she could slip away without being seen. There was no need to scare people, after all.
It quickly occurred to her, however, that she was not equipped for speed, at the moment, and she probably should have stayed high. What if it was someone changed, someone who wasn't taking it well? Cass was certainly not equipped with claws with which to defend herself.
Well, sometimes you had to bite the bullet. She coiled herself up near the base of the tree. "Hey!" she called out. "Who's there?"Spin, dodge, duck under a tree branch--and then a shout, and Thom lost focus, scowling as the ball spun away and bumped a nearby tree. In retaliation, he quickly 'stole' it back, darting around the offending tree and punting the soccer ball off between two others--a goal. Satisfied, he slowed to a walk and, breathing heavily after the drill, scanned the area for the source of the voice. From his position he couldn't see anyone, and he briefly debated simply retrieving his ball and escaping back to the safety of the village. However, he quickly reconsidered. The voice hadn't sounded like a bloody thirsty tiger man and, after his run...he wasn't exactly sure where the village was. Oh well. "Thom," he shouted in response, not that it would prove very helpful. He hadn't recognized the voice, so he obviously hadn't met whoever was speaking. "Arrived a few days back. 'Oo's there?" A few days back? Cass's heart sank. Sure, on the one hand, she probably didn't have to worry about being mauled to death, but did the guy know? It wasn't too late to escape entirely, was it?
Yes. Yes, it was. Be brave.
"Name's Cassidy. Um." Cass hugged herself tightly and uncoiled herself to slither, as slowly as she could bear to, in the direction of Thom's voice. "Don't freak out. Please." This last was said rather softer, her tone worried and faintly hopeful.
She leaned around the trunk of a tree and peered at him curiously from some distance off.Chuckling dryly, he doubled back to gather his soccer ball, then started after the voice once more. "Trust me, Cassidy, I doubt anythin' could--" He abruptly fell silent as he caught sight of the woman, lip curling in a mix of absolute disbelief and astonishment. This...this thing was once a girl? A human? Like him!? ...Well, now he understood the 'don't freak' request. He cleared his throat, pulling his gaze away until he regained his composure. At some point following the shock, his grip on the soccer ball had tightened, and now he relaxed it, passing the ball nervously from hand to hand. When he again looked up, his smile was apologetic..and perhaps a tad fearful. "Well... You were right, then. Ah, sorry." After a nervous feather-fluff, Cass came out the rest of the way. It seemed that he at least knew what was happening--thank goodness--but that didn't make that moment of shock any less painful. "Don't worry about it," she said, as dismissively as she could bring herself to. "I'm... a bit of a sight. I know I am."
Still, she didn't come any closer; she'd leave it to him to make that move. "Just a few days, eh? I guess you know already?""No, no, I apologize," he insisted, shaking his head, though his hands abruptly fell still as she approached, the ball held tightly between them. "I 'ave met a few...ah, islanders, an', to be frank, snakes never crossed m' mind. Ambrose was the farthest change yet." And while Ambrose was furry and had the face of a wolf, he was a mammal, had legs, and looked more like some high school mascot than anything. Cass....didn't. "Yes, I know," Thom replied with a faint grimace. "I didn't b'lieve at first, I'll admit, but after a few...things, y' can't really deny it any longer." He shrugged. "I doubt I'll be 'ere long enough t' change, 'owever." "As far as I know, I'm the only snake," Cass said. Despite herself, her tongue flicked out; it was nearly as reflexive as blinking, sometimes. "Probably a good thing. It's definitely not what I would have picked, had I a choice."
Soccer. While she'd never been particularly inclined to athletics, the ball gave her all sorts of ideas she couldn't follow up on.
"I guess there's only so long you can deny it, the way some of us look," Cass admitted. "Though I've known some people hold out stubbornly for quite a while. What do you mean, though, you won't be here long enough?"He grimaced despite himself as her tongue darted out, finding the trait far too animalistic for his tastes. He had never been much of a reptile fan, and seeing someone nearly transformed into one was more than a tad unnerving. He wasn't scared of the scaley things, persay, but he preferred not to come in contact with them. "That's understandable. Losin' y' legs..." He gave a sad shake of his head, for the first time noticing the stumps that remained of Cassidy's legs. Eck, he couldn't begin to imagine how horrible that must be. Mind, she seemed to get around alright, from what he could tell, but all the same... It couldn't be comfortable. "Oh--I 'ave a game on Friday," he replied with a shrug, as if there were nothing more obvious in the world. "And th' team knows I'm 'ere. Now that I'm past th' concussion, they'll be callin' for me t' play." "I suppose," Cass said, "it could always be worse." Admittedly, she wasn't entirely sure how. The feathers were nice, true. And at least she wasn't venomous. And at least she still had bones and wasn't growing extra limbs, which probably hurt more than losing them.
"A game? Soccer, I assume?" Oh, dear. Denial. She hated to crush his illusions, but she couldn't very well let him continue to entertain them. Of course... Friday would be soon enough. "Um. Are you sure they know you're here? Have you talked to them?""I'll take your word for it," he drawled, giving her a once over...purely to see how it could be any worse, of course. But there were possibilities, now that he thought about it. She wasn't oozing slime, and she still had arms, even if they were covered in feathers. ...Imagine being turned into a worm. Poor worm-person. "Ah, yes... 'soccer'." He rolled his eyes at the word. Those were Americans for you. Rather than accept the name the rest of the world had granted the game, the superiority complex demanded that they grant it a title of their own and replace 'football' with a less interesting version of rugby. "...No, I 'aven't spoken with them," he grudgingly admitted, then laughed. "But, what, y' think they kidnapped me? Would be extremely difficult, I assure you." She winced slightly at his eye-rolling. "Or football, whatever. Gimme a break. If I went around calling it football where I'm from, no one'd know what I was talking about." Cassidy hunched her shoulders a little.
"Why would it be so difficult to kidnap you? They got the rest of us, one way or another. Hell, we got Vasile Di-freaking-Rossi here." The jerk. No, no. That wasn't fair of her. She was better than that. "Besides. You think they're going to let you leave, after what you've seen?"She did have a point, and he said so, waving away her words. "Yes, yes, not your fault. Personal bias, I'm afraid. My apologies." "I'm a recognized figure across Europe," he countered dryly, raising a brow. "Th' teams knows I was sent to a hospital... They won't accept that I up an' diappeared from it." Though, once again, she did have a point. Frowning, he settled for a shrug in reply. The thought hadn't occurred to him previous, and he wasn't sure of an excuse around it just yet. Perhaps later. Cass shrugged. "Maybe you are. I can't say that there's any likelihood I know who you are, Thom... No offence. I don't follow any sports. Not really, although I usually cheer when the Canucks are doing well. But sure, okay. There are people who'd miss you. More than would miss me, definitely. If they've come up with excuses for the rest of us... I'm not sure what they told my family, or what they might've told yours. I'm just saying... maybe you shouldn't be too hopeful about getting to that game."
Her gaze was fixed to the ground as she spoke. "For your sake, I hope I'm wrong. Really.""I 'adn't expected anyone who refers t' it as 'soccer' t' know me," he assured her, his grin returning, however faintly. "An' I can honestly say I 'aven't th' faintest idea who th' Canucks are." Following that, he didn't have much of a reply. So what if the mad doctor had managed to sneak away some fourty other people? He, Thomas Brinley, had been in a bus wreck. Other members of the team had been injured. There was sure to be a big to-do from the press. And when they found out a team member had vanished from whatever hospital they had sent him? Search efforst were sure to redouble. Though... Perhaps the game was out of the question. "Well... It may take a bit longer than I anticipated," he admitted, tucking the soccer ball under one arm. "I'll 'ave to see about gettin' Duvert t' tape it for me." "Hockey team. Vancouver." The corners of her mouth turned up in a faint smile. "Shoot me, I'm Canadian. It's impossible to not get caught up in hockey just a little. Too much peer pressure."
Cassidy waved a hand vaguely. "I hope he does that for you, anyway." Could you even get satellite out here, in the middle of the ocean? Cable was out of the question, anyway. "Even if you can't be there, it'd be nice to watch it.""Ahhh, there we go." That explained it. Hockey was fun on occasion, a nice break from the norm, but Thom had never really followed it. At that, he wasn't sure he had ever sat down to watch a hockey match on TV. Most televised sports bored him. Football was different in that he understood the game, knew when players made fools of themselves, and often had the chance to mock said players during future games. "To each 'is own," he chuckled, shrugging. "I don't see why 'e wouldn't." Shrugging, Thom dropped his ball to the ground, holding it in place with one foot. "Though, I think I'm goin' t'go ask now, just t'be safe. Th' sooner I ask, th' better my chances. It was nice meetin' you, Cassidy." And, with a grin of goodbye, he turned and started back for the village, lazily kicking the ball ahead of him.
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Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 1:17 pm
She...killed it...
Meeting Colche After her nap, the evening drew in cool as usual and she headed for the cafeteria for food. Her tummy grumbled as she walked along but she knew full well that wouldn't last very long, after all there were always great things in the caf.
With that in mind she paused and looked up at the slowly deepening sky. The sun seemed to set ever so slowly over the island the sky changing it's colours in a beautiful, subtle manner as it faded in to that deep lustrious indigo with it's tiny white lights, a sky untainted by city light. She smiled, standing and simply watching her furry tail twitching at the very tip as she gazed at the heavens.Unfortunately, the peaceful scene was not meant to last. "Watchit!" Came the warning shout, immediately followed by a soccer ball barreling mere inches past Colche's head only to hit a nearby tree and bounce harmlessly to the ground instead. Thom jogged up after it, sparing the cheetah girl an apologetic glance before continuing to scoop up the ball, only then returning his attention to Colche.
His mouth snapped shut before he had a chance to speak, and, frowning faintly, he quirked a brow. This girl was one of the farther changes he had seen... But after meeting Ambrose, not much could phase him on that stance. However, a naked cheetah girl was...a bit awkward. "Ah. Hallo. Sorry about that," he added, holding up the soccer ball. She had an innane instinct to chase after the ball, though she managed to quell it as somone shouted and snapped her out of that thought. Standing with her furry legs splayed she grins and giggles "sokay" a gentle puurr echoes from her chest' her huge deep blue eyes following the ball for a moment, she wanted to chase it and bite it. She had never seen a ball before after all, it was something new and unusual though the cheetah seemed to understand it was for chasing.
Long locks of black hair fell over her shoulders as at last those sweet blue eyes trailed up and landed on the young man before her. So many new people of late, it was that time again it seemed. When people appeared and either didn't beleive or did and were sad about it.
Still, the man didn't seem too upset about her apperance so she held out a furry fingered paw like hand and giggled "Ima Colche" she said simply, her voice containing a sweet if some what childish tone to it. She didn't seem particularily phased that she was standing before the man naked nor that she was extremely furry. Reactions of new people were things she accepted now, she had been here long enough to see enough of them arrive after all. "Thom," he replied slowly, accepting and shaking the furry hand. She spoke like a child, yet...she very much didn't look like one. Young, certainly, but not as young as her voice indicated. If anything, this was the meeting that made him suspect a prank more than all other before it--yet the others had served to establish that it was, so... Why was he standing in the middle of an island beside a nude cheetah girl?
"S'a pleasure t' meet you," he finally offered, releasing her hand. On a whim, he glanced around, as if expecting to pick out cameras hidden in some nearby tree. Once again, the 'Candid Camera' theme ran through his head. "You've been 'ere a while, I s'pose?"Colche's furry brow creased a bit and she looked thoughtful as she stood in a more, up right fashion it was fairly obvious she couldn't walk on the flats of her feet, she was upright standing on her toes. The phrase he put to her made her bite her tongue and look very thougthful for a moment "Forever" she stated, though she knew that wasn't the answer, time didn't matter to the little cheetah girl and she giggled, her tail swinging back and forwards as her gaze fell ont he ball again.
"Wazzat?" she tilted her head those bright intelligent blue eyes full of curiosity. Perhaps by now somone should have informed Colche of the old addage, curiosity killed the cat. Noone really cared to mention it though. So her curiosity often got the better of her. "Forever," he repeated, raising a brow. What, was she a native or something? That would explain the scattered English...and possibly the lack of clothing. Though somehow he doubted the possibility. More likely, the child simply hadn't bothered to keep track. Judging by the extent to which she'd changed, she must have been here a good while, so it made sense. Forever...on an island, turning into some unknown animal, was not something he was looking forward to.
Luckily, he would be off in no time.
"It's a, ah, football," he explained, holding the ball out on his palm for her inspection. "'Aven't you seen one b'fore?" "Football" She mimicked, tilting her head a bit, it didn't seem to have a foot on it "was for?" she questioned, a very curious look in those baby blue eyes. She really hasdn't ever seen a football let alone knew what the game was or what it meant to the multi million masses in the UK and europe.
The cheetah of course, already knew what it was for,m it was chasing and perhaps for killing! Of course that was simply her instincts nudging her in the ribs she wanted to know what it was really for."For...playin'...football?" he attempted, utterly bewildered. How else did one explain a football? That was it's entire purpose in creation! "You, ah, kick it. Into a goal. A big net...thing," he explained, outlining a goal with his hands in a weak attempt at making her understand. If she hadn't seen a football, he was quite positive she wouldn't have seen the goal either. Colche bit her tongue, her brow creaing to the mount where it almost looked like it would touch the bridge of her nose. still ehr eyes opened again as if she had gotten an appifany "football game? like pooh sticks?" she grinned, working out it was a game was one thing, of course the fact that putting football and poohsticks in the same genre was completely obsured didn't seem to upsether.
The grin spread on her face then and she gave a gentle whispery puurr which vibrated from her chest "show football?" she tilted her head her gaze forever curious. What in hell's was pooh sticks? Thom shook his head, free hand rising to scratch through his hair. "I don't think so. 'Aven't 'eard of 'pooh sticks' b'fore, so..." He would just assume it was completely unrelated to football. He hoped, with a name like pooh sticks, it was completely unrelated to football.
Now, how could he deny that request? It was terribly upsetting that someone in the world hadn't heard of the wonder that was football. He had to cure that. "Why not?" He replied with a shrug, dropping the ball. "S'fairly simple. Look, those two trees-" He pointed them out. "- will be th' goal. Just guide th' ball..." Thom started for the goal at a walk, lazily kicking the ball ahead of him, but soon grew bored and simply kicked the ball the rest of the way, sending it sailing between the two trees. "Then kick it into th' goal. S'easy." He'd obviously never played pooh sticks! It was a very complcated game involving twigs but was alot of fun in colche's mind though she had only played it on her own on the river.
Grinning broadly she watched Thom dribble the ball then kick it. She had to force her self not to chase after it. She had a feeling it wouldn't last very long if her claws got a hold of it. Still she was facinated "I go?" she grinned, looking hopeful, this football seemed interesting to say the least, she was willing to learn any way, she was always willing to learn soemthing new! Thom jogged after the ball, turning and lazily sending it back towards Colche with a few kicks. As he neared, he lightly kicked the soccer ball towards the cheetah girl, shrugging and flashing Colche a grin. "'Ave at it." He couldn't see the harm. And who knew, perhaps the girl would have some natural talent and they could have a good game? He hadn't forgotten about Ambrose's island soccer league idea. Colche grinned, a gentle puurr escaping her chest as the ball came rolling towards her, she lifted a furry foot and placed it upon the round leather object. Tilting her head she grinned and nodded. She was a very observant little thing, always watching to see what people did so she could mimick them.
The very tip of her tail twitched and she stood straddled for a moment as she started to dribble. Thos long legs certainly provided alot of controll and after a few, cautious dribling kicks she soon started to run with the ball.
Thos big blue eyed faced forwards as she picked up speed, at this point, it was pretty obvious the creature Colche was mingled with, the cheetahs deft speed coming through very quickly as she went from standing still to a very swift sprint in seconds the ball being handled quite deftly. Her tail waved from left to right, being used as a rudder to stop herself from falling as she ran. She stopped eyeing the 'goal' and did as thom had done kicking the round thing through the trees with a giggle.
The little cheetah girl turned and grinned showing all her shiney white fangy teeth "fun!" she puurred, her tail slowing to a twitch once again. "...Bloody 'ell," he murmured approvingly, staring after the cheetah girl. Natural talent indeed, though he was sure the animal she was turning into added a good deal to that. She would be a formidable opponent, if only because he would have a hard time keeping up with her speed. ...Maybe there was some merit to this football league idea after all.
Flashing a grin, he graced her with a slow applause as he walked to retrieve the soccer ball. "Well done! But 'ow well can y' do with someone blockin' th' goal?" Scooping up the ball, he tossed it back to her, remaining standing between the trees. "In a real game, someone tries t'keep th' ball from goin' in. Kick it past me."Colche grinned, she liked being praised for doing things right. Still, there seemed to be more to this foot ball thing than just kicking and running. Tilting her head slightly her jet black hair fell over her cheeks and chest. Kick it past him.
Boting her tongue she straddled the ball again her perfect blue orbs watching the goal like a hawk. What was he going to do now? After a moments contemplation she kicked the ball as hard as she could towards the goals, the ball going a little towards the left most tree. Thom blocked with ease, quickly side stepping to snatch the ball out of the air. Shaking his head, he rolled it back to her, returning to the center of the makeshift goal. "Y'waited too long. Far too predictable. Try again, an' don't think so 'ard. Runnin' start, mayhaps."
He gestured her back a few paces to do as instructed, then readied himself in the goal. "Myah!" Colche was quite surprised about her goal being 'saved' but she didn't let it upset her too much. She turned around the ball and took it back a ways before she started running with it again. Her tail flew from left to right as it had before. This time though, she didn't stop when she got to the point she had before, she simply kicked it mid run, the ball heading off towards the goal before she stopped on a button, her black trackshoe like claws digging in to the ground to stop her instantly, though she did skid a little only because the ground wasn't too stable.
Her ears twitched as she waited, waht would happen now? would he catch it again. She didn't quite understand what she was supposed to be doing, but it was turning out to be alot of fun! And again he captured the ball, darting sideways and reaching out an arm to catch it flatly against his palm. However, he was grinning as he took the soccer ball in both hands, absently spinning it in his grip before rolling it towards the cheetah girl once more. "Much better," he praised. "Try changin' directions right b'fore y' kick, if y'can. As is, even with th' weavin', th' kick's fairly predictable. Too straight t'wards th' end. 'Ere we go, then, again!" The ball came back to her, and taking it back one more time to the spot she had started from she ran once agin, this time, the cheetah in her made her dodge from left to right, as if she were chasing an antilope, she weaved back and forth fireing off the ball once more towards the goal.
Unfortunately, she kicked the ball with her toes in stead of the top of her foot and those trackshoe like nails went straight in to the leather makeing a perfectly nice hole though it did continue to fly through the air towards Thom, it was becoming decidedly limp as it went.
"Ut oh" she blinked watching the ball, was she going to get in to trouble for that? The ball emitted a dying wheeze as it sailed through the air, falling short and coming to land only a few feet ahead of Thom. His grin faded into a look of disbelief and, very briefly, he looked as if he might cry. However, just as quickly the look was gone, replaced with a dark frown as he stepped forward and retrieved the limp soccer ball. "So much f' that..."
Sighing, he ran a free hand through his hair, then sent the cheetah girl a weak grin. "No worries, eh? I'm sure th' good doctor'll give me a new one." There was no reason he shouldn't, right? "I need t' talk to Duvert anyway about gettin' th' game taped," he murmured, more to himself than Colche.
"If I do, y' welcome t' watch with me," he offered as an afterthought, glancing back to the girl. "Might teach you a few things. Any'oo, I'm goin' t' 'ead back. Er, nice meetin' you, Colche." He waved a brief goodbye, then started for his duplex, sadly inspecting the hold in the ruined soccer ball.Colche pouted. She quickly ran up to Thom and gave him a huggle from behind "Okies!" she stated releasign him "go eats now!" she smiles, she was ready for some food now after the excitement of learning how to play foot ball.
Nodding gently she took a deep breath and with a sort of graceful bounce she bounded off for the cafeteria.
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