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 Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 9:42 pm
Rex breathed heavy, deep, slow breaths to overcome the sudden anger once again. What had happened to tolerant Rex?
He swallowed and spoke in a soft tone, "Essentially, we were talking with this new girl about the island when Zach lashed out against me. He obviously hates living here and can't stand the fact that others could be happy here as well." Rex sighed, so much negativity. "I could sense that I was getting on his nerves somehow, but he was always passively hostile towards me. I yelled back at him a little, he'd just pushed the right button, but I got a hold of myself before I could do anymore. Instead I just stood there and cried like a wimp as he scurried away. The coward was only running away from what discomforted him." He stopped, collecting his thoughts and running over the scene on the beach in his head, "I really need to go appologize... It was stupid of me to get so offended."
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Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:02 pm
"I don't think you need to apologize," Avery said. "He sounds like he's just an a*****e... but, I mean... I can't blame him for being upset, really. Not everyone can be happy about the things happening to them here... I don't understand how anyone could like changing into an animal. But some people do, and some don't." Avery shrugged a bit. Even if he didn't see a problem with Zach being pissed about living here, he still thought he was an a** for attacking him. If he was going to attack anyone, it should be the doctors, not the innocent people who are trapped here as well.
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Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:09 pm
Rex mumbled grouchily about the man under his breath, "The only thing he's doing with his bad attitude is making the island worse for everyone, including himself." Rex wanted to be cheered up, but even Meet the Parents wasn't working all that well.
Rex groaned and came to his feet, though his stomach groaned louder. Some food was sounding quite nice right aboutt his time. "I think I'm going to get something to eat, it's been hours... But by goly we've got to see each other more, and Tim too, he seems like a nice guy." Rex looked to the peaceful skunk sprawled across Avery, he chuckled, "You're lucky that you two have got each other."
"Anyways, I'll be sure to keep you informed with party updates as I get them, mkay? Catch y'later, little guy." And with that, Rex beelined for the cafeteria. Foooood.
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Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:39 pm
"I do feel pretty lucky... I'll see you around, Rex. We definitely need to hang out more," Avery agreed, smiling at him. "I'm looking forward to the party." When Rex left, Avery picked up the remote and turned off the TV, tossing the remote aside. The warmth he was feeling from being snuggled up with Tim was making him a little drowsy, and he didn't want to wake the other boy, so he settled down, curling against him.
Overall, he was feeling pretty happy right now. Rex accepted him for who he was and still wanted to be his friend, there was a party being planned, and now he was snuggled up on the couch with his boyfriend.
Boyfriend. Avery couldn't help grinning a little to himself. It's been a while since he had been in a relationship with anyone, and he knew he was still young, but Avery didn't really like being single. The thought of knowing you had someone you could call your significant other, someone you could cuddle with and talk to about anything, someone who always knew how to make you smile - it was something he wanted. And maybe he had found it here, with Timothy - although it was still a bit too soon to be sure, Avery was certainly more than willing to give this a chance. He didn't have anything to lose after all.
And hey, if Timothy was willing to look past the fact that he was growing a tail and becoming hairy and might even eventually start to smell like a wet dog after a shower, he was definitely someone to hold onto. You don't find guys like that every day.
(( END RP unless Tim wants to make a last post. <3 Or if he wants to continue with just Avery. ))
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:40 pm
Hunting and Pecking
Man, ******** this place. ******** this place and the people running it, Kaveri thinks as she steps out of her duplex -- the one with the red bicycle leaning on the wall outside -- with a shovel propped over her shoulder.
It's sometime around noon, and she just got out of bed. She squints at the sunlight, using her free hand to shade her eyes - this is quite the stark contrast from the constantly grey weather of Olympia. Today, the woman would scout around her duplex for a place to put her garden, and make some plans. She looks around the rest of the village, eyeing the line of other duplexes and wondering what piteous caged animal-men were inside each of them. In her mind's eye, it was like a pop-up book crossbred with a zoo with a pinch of horror movie.
She shudders at the thought, and wordlessly shuffles her way down the stairs and behind her duplex.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:56 pm
Zach had his claws on and perhaps a bit too tightly into the remains of a hat he'd brought to the island. He'd woken up somewhat late, and between his morning shower and routine of getting dressed, he had lost his awareness of something very key. On his way out of his still-graffitied duplex he'd picked up a hat he hadn't worn for what felt like weeks. He had been under the incorrect impression that his skull was still fit for wearing hats.
Needless to say, it wasn't. The curving horns had ripped the hat apart as they became caught. He had nothing left but the torn and mangled piece of material that it had once been. It wasn't cheering in the least.
He headed to the cafeteria for lunch, unwilling to get rid of his former hat. On his way, however, he spotted a person he hadn't seen before either. Automatically he was reminded of Nita, the girl he'd frightened during his shout-down with Rex. It was an instant guilt trip. His tail, which he'd continued to have hang out of his pants rather than have the sense to cut a hole for it, made a slow swish. He followed her to where she was going behind the house, wondering if he could make amends by being less blunt about the island with this woman than he had with the redhead before.
"Hello?" he half-asked, half-greeted, as he poked his horned head around the corner of her duplex.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:05 pm
Hmn. The ground here could use some work, but she could possibly grow something out of this. As she starts to tear into the ground with her shovel, half-bent over, she hears a voice and turns her head to look over her shoulder at its source.
She doesn't smile, but she doesn't frown, either -- her expression is honestly quite neutral, if not a little surprised. A horned guy, and it looks like the poor b*****d tried putting on a hat looking at the fabric scraps hanging around the horns.
She sticks up her hand in a nonchalant wave. "Hey there," she calls back.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:30 pm
Zach felt more welcome by the woman's lack of cheerfulness. Fiona had been quite backwards for a recent arrival, thinking a party would help to ease the inevitable. This was what he expected the newcomers to the island to be like. He certainly sympathized with her. His darker feelings were put at ease and he stepped the entire way out from the side of the duplex. There was no subtlety to his appearance - not only were the majority of his changed features visible, but he was going through less and less trouble to hide his missing arm, so the tied sleeve was all that kept it out of view.
He nodded back to her before eyeing the shovel she was working with, his fingers still meshed in the large piece of hat he held in his one hand. He then looked her over, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. A regular person. Boy, was she in for it. He gave her an apologetic grin, the upper canines shining for an instant before he spoke. "Sorry, you're just the first I've seen in a while who isn't smiling about this place. It's a nice change. Doing some gardening?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:45 pm
It's hard to be very cheerful when you realize that the livelihood promised to you is a total sham. Kaveri wasn't even changed - and still believes that she won't be - and she's still not very happy about it. She straightens up, putting her hand on her hip and shovel at her side, turning around.
She honestly could not tell what was going on with this guy. Another lizard, but how many lizards have horns and come in bright red? Her eyes wander over to the missing arm, wondering if he was like that before or after coming to the island -- do they chop off your limbs if you try to get away?
"No reason to smile about this place," Kaveri shrugs, "not anymore, honestly - a lot of it just pisses me off now. I'm trying to make something out of it, at least I won't have to worry about getting arrested for squatting anymore." But honestly, being arrested is the least of her worries. There was a lot more on her mind, and a lot more she wanted to distract herself from.
"Yeah, or planning to do a garden," she nods, putting her shovel straight in the ground and leaning on it. "I just need to figure out how much I want to dig up, and how much space I'll need." She glances at the ground behind her, letting out an audible 'hmm.'
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:19 pm
Zach gave her a curious look, ignoring the one she was giving to his missing appendage situation. Squatting? Wasn't that what homeless people did? He nodded in understanding. He hadn't been furious so much as terrified, initially, but as long as she was against the island's sinister purpose...
"It's... a nightmare. I guess you already know that, though... There's no point in trying to sugar-coat it, because it doesn't make it any less painful to grow a tail. The only person I warned about the island initially called me a lunatic, but that was before... all of this happened. I guess this would be enough evidence for her now." He frowned at the thought of having to meet Valentine again, when the last time they'd met she'd slapped him viciously and sided with Dr. Moreau about the island.
"Sounds rewarding," he said lightly. She didn't look like a flower person, but he was inclined to ask anyhow. He unhooked his pointer and index fingers from the hat material to wave them at the ground she'd been about to dig up. "So, what will you be growing? Flowers?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:34 pm
"After running into a few of the residents, I kinda got the impression," Kaveri says with a light shrug. "I'll admit it myself, I didn't believe it at first. I thought it was just some dumb joke or my mind playing tricks on me. Then I had one of them actually touch me, and at that point I realized that this wasn't some kind of a movie set or something." Not that the animal thing will happen to her. No, really!
"How the hell can anyone be smiling about this s**t? I hate science and technology so much, it's not about helping people anymore - it's all unethical, unchecked s**t like this 'commune' these days," she growls, rolling her eyes and quickly catching herself before going on another tirade when Zach asks her about the garden plans.
She grins a little at the flower comment, shaking her head. "Nah, not a flower person. I plan to grow some vegetables, I brought some seeds over with me. Stuff like lettuce, carrots, broccoli - good stuff. Probably a lot fresher than whatever the hell they offer in the cafeteria. Their stuff is good, and it's free and all, but I like it better when it's fresh. Stuff that I've grown, you know?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:06 pm
"I see... yeah, it's hard to believe it's going to happen to you until it does. I thought all of this was some kind of weird initiation scare for a while. Oh! What's your name, by the way? Mine's Zach." He didn't bother trying to hold out his hand for a handshake.
"I haven't heard anything about why they're even doing all of this. Unethical, yeah, and not even a purpose." He shrugged as well, his expression getting a little bleak. "It's beyond me. I guess people 'accept their fate' here, whatever that means to them. This one guy, Rex - he's one of the grinning lunatics - asked a new girl if she was 'at peace' with this whole thing. Sounded like he was talking to a terminally ill patient! I don't think it's that easy to just get over this twisted s**t. So they called this place a commune to lure you in? I'm sorry. I've heard so many different stories already. These bastards are really tricky."
"Wow!" He was impressed. Hardly anyone he had known from before coming to the island were into growing anything beyond the occasional rosebush. "That's a great idea. And it makes sense, it's much safer too. I guess you can't put it past these doctors to tamper with plants if they can do it to people without batting an eyelash..." Not that he ate vegetables any more - they seemed to disagree with him now. He didn't want to push it and get sick enough to warrant any medical attention from the doctors.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:23 pm
She's going to pretend that she didn't hear that part about not believing it until it actually happened. "I'm Kaveri," she replies, "I come from Olympia, Washington."
"I can't believe that," she says with a miserable sigh, "that people can just accept this s**t and let it happen to them -- lay back and be the b***h and just accept it. What the hell is this? Why won't they fight back? Not that they really can, but there has to be a way to fight back without actually fighting - and sure as ******** not taking it like a ragdoll." She bites at her inner lip, sucking on the balled end of her labret. "I'll agree that they're tricky bastards, and I fell for it -- I should have known that it was too good to be true, honestly."
"It's just all the more reason to start my own garden, then," Kavvi nods, "who knows what genetically-modified crap they put in their food and how much pesticides it's coated with. Back at home I'd eat solely organic stuff that my friends and I grew. Plus it just... tastes better when you grow it yourself."
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:00 pm
"I know! It's disheartening. But we can't wait for someone else to fight back. Really, it all comes down to whether or not we do it ourselves..." Big words for a small guy. He agreed with her completely, though. There had been no talk of attempted escapes or rebellions for a good month. He wasn't rolling over so easily inwardly, not after the transformation was turning him into some kind of mindless killer. He had yet to carry something out in the state he was in. He hadn't encountered a doctor face-to-face since the day he'd encountered Aubrey at the beach, so there was little outlet for his mounting frustration but other unfortunate islanders. Perhaps with Kaveri's help, something could be done. Few on the island seemed to have her kind of fiery opposition; vague upset and bitterness were what he had seen as the extent of most islanders' feelings.
"I waited a little too long to start trying to think of ways to escape, and you see what happens if you don't use all the time you have..." He glanced around suspiciously with his yellow eyes, aware of the cameras and microphones hidden from view. Was someone always watching? Or was it just a rumor? He was eager to finally do something about the situation as lab rats, even if it was just talk. "They couldn't possibly have thought of everything. And if we can't get off of this place, there's bound to be something we can do. Just... I don't know. There's got to be."
"Y'know, even that's rebellious, not eating whatever they may have tampered with. You're already sticking it to them, a little." He smiled his first genuine smile since before his transformation. After getting so worked up he almost forgot what she was doing out there in the first place, and his focus came back to her and her garden. "It does, you're right. Sounds like you led an interesting life. What did you do before you came here, if you don't mind me asking?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:25 pm
"That's the spirit!" Kaveri chirps, pumping a fist in the air. "If we all work together, this s**t can be stopped and there won't be any more innocent people being lured to this hellhole," she nods with agreement. "At this rate, you'd need a hell of a lot to try and escape, I'd imagine. It's a ******** island in the middle of who-knows-where -- I don't even know what ocean we're in. Whoever picked this place out was smart, this place is really remote."
"I'm sure that eventually, one of these people are going to snap," she adds, holding up a finger. "I met someone recently who was, like... a bear, Tasmanian devil, and... something else. Wolf or something. Either way, I can't imagine someone like him not flipping out and turning on his creator... I wonder how many other chimeras this guy's tried to create, not thinking that they're not going to give in to these unnatural instincts and try to kill everything that moves after they've changed so much?"
Kaveri has yet to learn of the hidden cameras and microphones. Surely, she'll be angry upon hearing about them - it'll just add to the things about this island that piss her off.
She beams proudly when Zach calls her a rebel. "That's what I do, I stick it to The Man. S'what I've been doing all my life," she says, balling up her hand into a fist and patting the middle of her chest. "And I'll keep sticking it to them here, I'm not gonna let any scientist assholes keep me down."
"I've been all over," Kaveri begins, "protesting, squatting, supporting the community, riding my bicycle, hopping trains and hitchhiking 'cross the country. I try to get people to open their eyes and realize that they're being taken advantage of and try to work towards making the world a better place." She's very proud of her work, can't you tell?
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