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 Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:05 pm
Awen was about to nod and say she'd love to train him in the games. Kim and Awen had always been pretty evenly matched, perhaps she could get Jordan to defeat her, someone she's not expecting to finish her quickly... But she was stopped by the look on the man's face.
"What's wrong Jordan?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:15 pm
He shuffled his paws in the sand nervously. He wasn't sure if he could say it, but it was bothering him. He felt like he was being paranoid again, but maybe he'd said something that secretly offended her. Jordan stepped closer, cautiously in the shallower area where the manta was. "Did I say something wrong.. to offend you..? You've.. been staying away from me.. in the shallow end.. We're still friends, right..?" He tilted his head down to the water, saddened by the thught that she may be keeping her distance from him.
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:22 pm
"Of course we're still friends Jordan!" Awen was really puzzled by the self consciousness of the man. "I can go into salt water, it's bad for my gills. Almost drowned last time I went in."
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:30 pm
"Oh!" he gasped in stupidity. "I'm so sorry, Awen! I... I thought... god I'm stupid.." he pounded a pawed fist against his forehead. "It must be so insensitive of me to splash around.." he moved closer to the manta-girl and sat down in the water next to her, giving her a hug.
"I didn't know you'd get hurt if you came out further. It's okay.. I'm really sorry.. lately, I'm not quite sure what's wrong with me.. For about a week, I've been depressed.. I think there may be something wrong with me.. I'm so afraid and scared that I may be getting 'sick'.." he emphasized the word 'sick', meaning the cancer-kind-of-sick. "I haven't been myself lately at all.. and it scares me.. Colche has even been checking up on me every day to make sure I'm okay.."
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:37 pm
Awen looked the dog man over as she came trodding up to sit beside her. Letting out a soft breath the manta half closed her eyes. "It's okay Jordan." The girl started to feel dizzy, the onset of staying out of the water for too long. But surely she could stay a little while longer...
"Jordan... I'm sure you're okay." She smiled and gave the man a nudge. "But what are you feeling? What does it feel like when you feel this sickness?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:45 pm
He really hesitated. He didn't want to say anymore, biting his lip. He pulled his knees as close to him as he could and huffed. "I'm constantly having headaches and my stomach churns.. like.. worse than normal stomach pains.." he splashed his paws in the shallow water. "And.." he paused, not saying a thing "You know, you're probably right.. I'm probably just fine.." he didn't want to say anything to make her upset or worry her unneccessarilly. He'd work through this himself, he hoped at least.
"I'm sorry to bother you with my problems.. I feel like I'm losing it.. my mind, that is.. and I'm just trying to find out what my purpose is.. it's hard, y'know..? Feeling useless.."
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:23 pm
Awen couldn't help a small chuckle. "Oh Jordie, it just sounds like you're homesick." She reached up and ruffled his hair slightly. "Most people go through their homesickness after awhile of being on the island, especially after the first change. I mean most of us miss home before that but it really hits you all at once awhile later, you know? Last Christmas I was completely recluse, I wouldn't come out of my duplex for anyone. I felt like I was always dizzy, wanting to throw up, pains worse than any kind of cramps I've ever had. I guess it's a mix of realising what this means, and that home will never be the same place, you're not going back and this is life now. But it will pass eventually."
Smiling the girl wrapped a webbed arm around the dog for a pseudo-side-hug. "I know what you mean though, about trying to find a purpose on the island. There isn't much to do here, education and work is pretty much dead. Maybe you could start writing about life on the island? We my be able to convince the labs to have someone publish it as a work of fiction, names and everything changed obviously, but it might be a neat idea to work on. Or maybe you could help Richard and his newsletter? He's trying to build a sense of community on the island, and it might just work. Or I hear Billy is hiring for some kind of talent show, perhaps you could be a part of that, or help Billy with organisation? Really the only thing you can do is keep yourself occupied, think of something you always wanted to try, if only you had the spare time, and well just do it. It could be fun."
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 4:02 pm
Awen had a way of making the blahness seem not so signifigant. The manta was being cheerful and positive about the activities of the island and had offered several that sounded appealing if not a distraction. He couldn’t resist a smile in return and leaned his head onto her shoulder carefully. "I guess it could be a touch of homesickness that's causing this.” His comment was brief so he could listen to every word of encouragement drawn from her own experience on the island, giving her a huggle as she told him about herself just a year before.
He chuckled at the thought of anything he’d written on the island being published as fiction. That amused him. But it also reminded him that he’d lost his hands during his first change and he sighed softly, just resting his head upon her shoulder. “Maybe you’re right, though.. it won’t do any good to keep moping about the island for the rest of my life. It’s hard right now to feel very happy, but it can’t last forever, right? If I try to interact more with the others, maybe I’ll find some happiness.” He closed his eyes halfway, enjoying her company in the shallow water “I haven’t been able to write since my change. I’ve been trying but it’s horrible. I even broke one of my pens and ruined several pages in my journal.” His nose wrinkled at the mention of Richard. The guy frightened him on their first encounter, but as he was learning, the changes have a way of making people behave in strange ways, just as he had submitted to Ambrose on the beach with the notion of ‘alpha’. “Back home, I worked for a zoo. I have degrees in both veterinary medicine and zoology. A nice guy named Victor talked me out of a rage a few days back and I’d mentioned that to him as well.. he offered the suggestion of using my knowledge for the benefit of the others, like a village doctor.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 6:12 pm
The girl brightened. "Hey that's a good idea. It would make our dependance on the doctors a little less probably. Of course medicine and whatnot will all be coming from the same place, but might be nice to be able to trust the one treating you."
After a pause Awen glanced over at the corner of her eye at the dog. "I mean, at least how the others see it. The labs have saved my life on a number of occasions, some were my own fault anyways..." She shrugged. "I don't really mind all that much personally, but to each their own."
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 6:21 pm
Her support of the 'village doctor' made him smile. It was a good idea, wasn't it? And the labs would likely be aprpeciative if it were someone they could trust and whom would lessen their busy workload as well. He nodded in agreement.
"That does sound like something. Hmmmmm.. I'm not sure how to go about it, though. Would the others be offended by the idea of an actual animal doctor acting as the village vet?" he cocked his head to the side, grinnign from ear-to-ear at the sound of his sentence. "I suppose we could somehow make an announcement of the services in Richard's paper..?" he didn't know if that would go well, but if Awen was in good with him, then maybe she could propose the idea. "Uhm..." he splased his hindpaws a bit "If your friends with Richard... could you... maybe... mention it to him..?" He looked down ashamed "I'm... not sure if he'd listen to me.."
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 6:35 pm
"Well I don't really know... It's probably better if you ask yourself." She drew in the sand beside her. "I mean, I'm not really sure if Richard would go for the idea. From what I know he used to be a vet of sorts himself. And it may be that he believes there is more to being a doctor of us than vetranary knowledge, us still being kinda human and all, or he may have done it himself....." She gave the man an encouraging smile. "Or maybe he's just too damn busy. It's worth a shot anyways but I still think you should bring it up yourself. I'll go with you if you like, but it will sound a lot better coming from you directly."
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 6:44 pm
He nodded softly. "Okay.. It wasn't right of me to try and push it onto you. It's just.. I've met Richard before.. and he scared me.." he wiggled his hindpaws "I know that sounds horrible.. he was the second person I met after you and I haven't seen him since.." he'd lowered his head and hoped she wouldn't slug him or worse- hate him for saying that.
"I'm sorry.." he whispered. "You're right, though. It's something I have to do. I have to confront him with my.. uhm.. our.. oh someone's idea.." it wasn't his original thought to offer his services to the others after all "I just hope he doesn't find it in poor taste. It's not meant to be a sick joke. It's what I did back home. It's what made wme happiest in life."
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 7:07 pm
"Understandable Jordan." Placing a hand on the dog's shoulder the manta ray pushed herself up. "But really deep down Richard is just a kitten. He kind of reminds me of those grandfatherly figures from the movies, you know? He really is a good guy, if a bit... Well stern I suppose one could say, but I know that's not the right word at all."
The girl shook her head with a small smile. "I'm sure it will be taken innocently, you don't mean to poke fun you're trying to help. Things will be fine Jordan."
Glancing back to the path and thinking of the river that ran just along it Awen smiled softly. "But it's about time I be getting home."
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Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 7:15 pm
Jordan gave Awen a great big doggy hug before she could leave. She was a positive influence on him and he liked that. Pulling back, he smiled at the manta girl. "Thank you, Awen. You always know just the right thing to say to make a guy feel good." He couldn't help but hug her once more for good measure.
"I'll be sure to mention the idea to Richard when I see him next and you take care of yourself, alright? Next time I'll have to coem visit you at the lake or maybe we'll meet down by the river." he smiled. "Somewhere you can swim and be free." She was one of the good ones, like Lauren: she found the good in the island and didn't let nay-sayers ruin her cheery outlook.
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