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The Dude, with the consolidated efforts from Aubrey, Awen and Ambrose was calming down. In a controlled voice, he replied:

"I might be a bum but I have not hurt a soul in my life. I might not have always done the right thing, but I have never taken advantage of another's trust, never scammed anyone for their freedom and independance, Moreau. None of us a little kogs to keep your well oiled megalomania machine here running."

Then, folding his flippers on his chest defiantly: "But you know what, doctor? I don't mind becoming a sea lion. I love it. I love being under the ocean for hours at a time. But I hate you for changing Greer. For tricking Ambrose and Cassidy. For all the other kids that are here because of your lies. And I hit you cuz your sorry a** deserves it. I hope it hurts for a few weeks. That's nothing compared to the pain of transformation."

Then, a bit shepishly, he turned to Aubrey: "I'm sorry. I ruined your date."

Aubrey took Moreau's arm, not knowing what else to do. This was not going how things had planned.

She was tired. She was tried of working hours on end. Moreau was obsessing again. Over something... something he wouldn't even tell her about. A part of her twinged at the thought that Moreau didn't trust her imphatically, but she knew that would -never- happen. She just wanted to come down, have a fun time. Show people that Moreau had a sense of humor down there somewhere and could poke fun at himself. And maybe, just maybe, Moreau might have loosened up and shown people that he can be more (sometimes) than a pompous a**.

She didn't know why she craved the apprval of the islanders so much. Probably to ease the guilt that she dams up in her soul. And proabbly partially because she was lonely. As much as she loved Moreau, she was terribly homesick and liked having friends other than one sole man.

"Its okay," she mumbled at the dude, her eyes glued to the floor.

Even Ambrose growled a bit under his breath at Moreau's haughty affirmation of their status. Part of him wanted to go for his throat if nothing else than to wipe the smug smile off his face, but Ambrose quickly quelled the thought. Just a passing musing.... really. He wouldn't LET the doctor win... take away his honor like that.

Ambrose quietly nodded to the Dude's words, glad that they were voiced. "Despite what you are doing to us... we are still men and women... people who have done nothing to deserve imprisonment." Ambrose finished, his voice dropping, indicating a hopeful finality.

He had just begun to turn, his eyes catching Emelyn's presence - back once again, her eyes showing the shattered hope that was struck by the scene before her. He wanted to go to her, console her.... but... on the other hand, he was, in a way, glad that she could see that. See Moreau as the true b*****d that he was, and the reality of the situation that they were in. He was about to step to her when he felt arms around him and turned down to see Amaya's emerald eyes wide with fear, and his heart melted. He carefully wrapped an arm around her. "It's okay, Amaya" he whispered. "I think the party's over." His eyes lifted over to Emelyn, an apologetic ghost of a smile flitted across his face.

((If there's a posting order I've disrupted, sincerest apologies! *gonk*))

Emelyn walked around the scene, eyes locked to Ambrose as his eye contact remained, unfaltering. She wondered what was behind those eyes- but this was not the time or place to ask. He whispered something to the girl who had come up behind him, and Em stayed several steps away, not wanting to disturb whatever it was they were saying. But she turned her head, as if spurning the actors in this foul play, and said to Ambrose,

"I think it's time we go," she said, her voice unwavering... but a sweet sadness lingering in the words.

Before Emelyn could say another word, Moreau spoke his command, and The Dude hit the ground- a lifeless puppet. She jumped back so hard, one of her heels hit the earth at a hard angle and she fell to the ground herself, skittering away with a kick of her legs.

"God..." she said, terrified at the sight of the slacken Dude. That the man had such power over them... filled her with a dread that hadn't even overtaken her when her boat had sunk with her below deck. This was not a random force of nature that might lord over them... but a man. A madman with a genius that no one could have guessed he possessed.

She felt like she was going to cry just because of how scared she was. Moreau was like that evil monster under your bed or in your closet that you KNEW was there when you were little. But eventually you got the courage to venture into the closet and find out you were just imagining things. This... this was like you had walked into a closet and the evil monster had wrapped it's claws around you and pulled you inside, locking you in the evil dimension filled with monsters that existed in your closet.

Amaya silently nodded to Ambrose, taking comfort in his pressance. large green eyes still didn't leave Moreau; like he was some hideous creature that held her morbid curiosity... or at least until Dude went down. The words that left his mouth were a jumbled mess, only Ambrose's and Emelyn's words coming in clear.

She screamed, hands flying to her mouth as the worst came to her mind. The doctor had some evil death control thing! How else would Mister Dude have gone down so easily? Tears started to pour down her face as she sobbed, the fact she was 16 years old seemed completely irrelevant as the frightened child inside took complete control.

"He's okay, I think," she squeaked, quickly wiping a tear that slipped down her cheek, leaving a trail of smeared make-up. She hooked her elbows under the Dude's large armpits and waited for Ambrose to help her.