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 Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:33 pm
reserved - Finding Joliette
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:34 pm
Ground Zero in the Cafeteria Taking a moment to be indoors for food, Greer sat at one of the cafeteria tables wolfing down cubes of steak. Having only her lower set of teeth she couldn't really chew, and so was forced to eat her meat the way she prepared it for the Dude's cat. This would have made her self-concious, but luckily no one else was in the room at the moment.
She apparently spoke too soon. Jamal sauntered into the cafeteria looking somewhat sullen and moody, dressed in baggy jeans and an oversized black t-shirt with what looked to be the front view of a gun with the barrel pointed at the viewer...below that was some sort of graffiti-style writing that read something along the lines of "Dare me" in white lettering. His jewelry was all there in full force, but his doo-rag was gone, exposing his somewhat frizzy braids.
He went to browse the selection of food and grimaced. Dammit...never anything he wanted. After a bit of an argument with one of the cooks, the black man settled for some kind of meat sandwich and a plate of chips. Glancing up from her food, Greer froze for a moment when she saw the man come in. ...she'd met him at the Halloween party briefly, hadn't she? God, what was his name... bah, she had no idea. He hadn't freaked out on her back then, which could be chalked up to plenty of things that didn't mean he wouldn't freak out now. Meep! Her human fears mixed with her hawkish testiness, and adreneline was soon pumping into her system.
Tugging nervously at the side lacings of the black halter top Emelyn had made her, Greer did her best to smile around the beak and waved to the new arrival. Please let this go well! Jamal turned to look for a place to sit, half-hoping Awen was around so he could avoid the rest of the island population (well, the males anyway). However, he was greeted instead by a wave from a vaguely familiar face. What was her name...Gren or Gwen or something like that... And...why was she still wearing her halloween costume? The feathers and beak were eyed with mild apprehension, but he decided to ignore it. Maybe the woman really liked halloween....
"Yo," he said, picking up step to approach her table, giving her a stiff nod and trying his damnest to not outright ask why she was still in costume. "Mind if I sit herr?" So far, so good. Greer wanted to hope this meant the fellow knew about the island's dirty little secret and was dealing with it, but prepared herself for the worst just in case.
"Not at all. Please!" She continued to smile, gesturing at the open seats. "I'm sorry, I've forgotten your name, Mr.-?" "Thanks," he practically grunted and slipped into a vacant seat, his plate more or less haphazardly tossed onto the table in front of him. "Da name be Jamal...it a'ight you ain't 'memberin'. Can't say I 'member yo's otha' than it beginnin' wit' a G. You was at the hall'ween deal, righ?"
The black man picked at the top of his sandwich hesitantly. After halloween, he'd been leary to eat much of anything thanks to the bug-snacks that had been put out with the regular food during the party. She nodded, tossing a few more bites of meat in her mouth and taking a sip of water. "I'm Greer. How have you been?" "Yeah, dat be it...Greer." He smirked, proud to have remembered at least some close version of her proper name, and peeled a bit of crust off his sandwich.
"I be a'ight...but dis island be givin' me da creeps allova sudden. How long yous been at dis place?" "Yeah, this place can be a bit unsettling at times." She rolled her eyes, chuckling a little. "How long have I been here? Hmm... almost three months now, I think. Wow. I hadn't realied it had been that long."
Frowning, Greer stared past Jamal's shoulder lost in thought. Three months... her mother probably thought she was dead by now. Mummy. "Oh...I guess dat be a long time. I heard that dis place ain't dat old...so you onna da older peeps then." Older as in not age, but as in how long they'd been on the island...hopefully she understood.
"So...uh...yous must be likin' hall'ween," he said before finally picking his sandwich up and taking an experimental bite. She blinked, jotling back to the present. "What? Older? Um yes, I'm one of the original islanders, as it were. I believe Ambrose beats me out for the title of numero uno, but it's pretty close."
She was babbling, which meant she was getting nervous. Eating a little more, she winced at Jamal's last comment. Ah. Crap. For once Greer wished she had less of a need to tell the truth. "You mean the beak and feathers? They're... they're not a halloween costume."He arched a brow over his food, pausing before he took another bite. "Yous had 'em at the party. I figgered they be part of the party. Yous just like dressin' up like dat then?" Man...and people thought HE was weird.
A nervousness rose in his chest though. An uneasiness that reminded him vaguely of Awen's repeated insistance that there was something fishy going on here at the island. He sort of glanced at the long feathers draping from her arms, straining to see them better and prove to himself they were fake. She shook her head, running a nervous hand through her hair and supressing the urge to hiss or flee. "No, they're not a costume. They're attached. Part of me."
Extending an arm, she put her hand in front of him and pointed at the feathers on the back of it with her other hand. "Feel. They're growing out of my skin." Jamal lifted his brow so far that it was liable to disappear into his cornrows. As the rustling feathers were put in front of him, he stared. They....did....look like they were attached to her skin. He didn't see any glue, any tape, any staples.
"No ********' way," he said, a tone of disbelief coloring his tone as he hesitantly reached out to touch a few of the dark feathers. As they moved under his touch, yet remained firm to her skin, he suddenly recoiled, then gave her an accusatory look. "This ain't real...no way." Ambrose really didn't have much reason to spend much time in the entertainment room. Admittedly, he had wanted to go back and check to make sure that there weren't any other nature books that might be useful to him before he really sat down to read. He had finally made the vow to himself that he would read up on wolves, it finally having sunk in just how in for it he was.
Finding nothing, he traveled to the cafeteria, now thorougly hungry.
As he entered, however, he saw Greer and... that new strange person who had been in the ghost costume at the party. He gave a nod to the man and a wave to Greer, picking up a big stack of meat from the lunch line before wandering over hesitantly, eying the .... black individual's reactions. He had barely spoken to him at the party - and he had seemed rather drunk then. But he had been here long enough... so he had to know the rundown... right?
Some part of Ambrose's upbringing also still gave him apprehensions. As much as he would deny being a racist, he just quite simply never really interacted much with black people where he was from...
Putting on a smile, he set his tray down with a nervous laugh. "This seat isn't taken... is it?" Greer took her hand back, taking in a shaky breath to fight back the human tears in her throat and the prideful hawk rage boiling in her chest. "I wish I were lying to you, but I'm afraid I'm not. Whatever you were told about this island was a lie. We're all experiments here, and we're all being turned into animals."
Hearing a familiar voice, it was all Greer could do not to jump out of her seat. "Ambrose! Come sit." Joliette capped her camera not figuring on using it in the cafeteria. She had waited for Hargun to get far enough away that it was doubtful the batgirl wanted to add anything to their conversation and then walked into the cafeteria... Her eyes were on her camera as she reset it's settings after being reloaded Jamal ignored Ambrose when he came in...ignored him when he got his food...but couldn't ignore him as he spoke up and grabbed the disbelieving black man's attention. The man's reaction was immediate. His eyes were thrown wider than he ever thought possible and he nearly jumped backwards over the table behind them at the site of Ambrose. What. The. ********. He barely heard Greer's explaination.
"You...you...." he said in complete stammering gibberish, his mouth working like a goldfish. "Dis ain't funny. AIN'T FUNNY."Ambrose's tail immediately went from wagging to Greer's enthusiastic invitation to Jamal's extreme reaction. But, biting the inside of his cheek (and afterwards realizing that was probably a bad idea), Ambrose seated himself.
Today, if nothing else, was certainly proving to be a test. If he could make it through all of this.... he'd be okay... right? Or perhaps it would break him... no... no, he had enough support here... enough strength of personality. He'd persevere, some hurt feelings aside.
Maybe Moreau was right, though.... if he ever went home again, though, Ambrose didn't think he'd be able to live with this sort of reaction from everyone he ever encountered. The only other option would be holing up somewhere... and how was that preferable to here... where at least there were people who could be his friend... and who could honestly understand what he was going through and not just feel awkward and - at best- treat him like some sort of cripple.
Ambrose swallowed again, organizing his thoughts as he turned to Jamal dead-serious. "It isn't intended on being so.... J.... Jamal, was it?" He reached back in his mind for the name. He started slicing the steaks before him. "I'm.... not sure if you remember me - you seemed to be somewhat drunk at the time... or even if you do if you recognize me... but we met at the Halloween party last week." He said, looking over to Greer.
At least, he thought, he was saving Greer from doing this alone. Jamal was, apparently, not quite informed. And he'd been here for some time already. After taking a long shower, and changing into actual clothes, Vasile realized he was hungry, and a bit lonely. He was slowly getting over his aversion to cafeteria food, so he let Brutus out for a short walk, then headed over, hoping Ambrose, Cass, or Amaya were there. Taking one of Ambrose's hands hostage, Greer tried to put down the feathers that were fluffing defensively at the back of her neck. "No, it isn't, but it's the life Doctor Moreau has given all of us. I'm sorry you had to be here."
Engrossed in the conversation, she didn't notice the entry of a girl she had yet to meet into the cafeteria. Joliette looked up "Oh.. theres people here" she said quietly, she really only did recognize one of them even if their previous introduction was a brief one. "Hello" she said working up her confidence and heading towards the group Jamal stared at Ambrose none too discretely, his face paling considerably.
"You...yous dat sword carryin' guy...? No ********' way. Yous ain't lookin' like dat at dat party...I knows I musta been a lil lit-up....but ******** no."
He almost glared at both Ambrose and Greer in succession, but the appearance of a normal human caused him to pause and sigh a breath of relief. He did not like this joke and he'd be damned if he didn't knock a b***h out if they kept this up and it didn't seem like the new girl was privy to the joke. The appearance of Vasile, however, was hardly comforting. He had a tail for christsake and Jamal could see it from where he stood, hands crossed defensively over his chest as he stared down the group of half animal people.
"I ain't findin' dis funny. Who put yous up to it...so help me if it been Awen, brotha gonna have some words..." Hands balled into fists as he spoke, a dangerous glint taking hold in his eyes.Ambrose squeezed Greer's hand back in reassurance, giving her a sidelong apologetic glance for having to deal with this over a meal before turning back to Jamal.
"I... I'm sorry, Jamal. No... I wasn't like this at the party... well, not fully at least." He said, putting his free hand to his temple. "But honestly. THis isn't a joke. I wish it were. I wish that these were just costumes that we could take off as we wished, and that we could return home when we wanted. But it's not. And it's going to happen to all of us." He drove the point in. "I'm turning into a wolf... Greer a hawk." His eyes caught two figures emerging through the door and he smiled to Vasile. Excellent! Another friend in the know who might be able to help, especially seeing as how he had been in the dark for so long as well. And the young boat woman as well who, at least, seemed to be taking all of this quite well.
Ambrose picked up his fork, and took a large bite of steak, flashing his long, curved canines as he opened wide for the large bite. Greer was an inately calm and peaceful soul, but when agitated found the hawk's vicious, predatory nature hard to control. Rocketing to her feet she knocked her chair back, hissing and practically spitting. "This isn't a ******** joke, you a**! This is real! That shot you got when you first arrived wasn't a vaccine, it was a serum praparing you to change! You're mutating, just like the rest of us, so you better pull your head from your rear and goddamn realize it!"
She wanted to tear something living to pieces, but Ambrose's hand in hers pulled her back to herself. Righting her chair Greer resumed her seat, quietly fuming as she swallowed her food. Self-centered b*****d! Did he think this crap was all about him? Joliette slowed near the table... Had she walked in on another arguement, it seemed like it. She bit her lip and closed her eyes for a brief moment taking a deep breath. She was only a few feet away but didn't want to interrupt for lack of a desire to get her own head bitten off... She didn't think that would be literal but still...
On another note she had only focused on what was ahead of her, she had not heard the star enter the cafeteria behind her Vasile seemed to have walked right into the middle of an argument, and while he didn't know what was going on, he certainly didn't appreciate the attitude the Greer-person was taking with this other guys he had yet to meet.
"HEY!" he said, rushing forward past Ambrose and Joiliette, coming up to Greer. "Don't talk to him like that! If you hadn't noticed this is all pretty hard to swallow, okay? And some of us had a LOT of bullshit shoved down our throats to deal with!" He gave her a stern look, knowing all too well what it felt like for people to get mad at you for not believing what SHOULD be impossible to beleive.
But then he took a deep breath and something seeemd to click. He spun around abck to Joliette. "YOU! You're the paparatzi chick with the baot!" he said pointing. "How they hell did you find us! They took your boat, the bastards!" Vasile was still pretty tightly wound up from this morning, and his frustration was showing. "No. No no no NO NO. Dis is BULLSHIT. I ain't playin' dis ********' game. I AIN'T GONNA DO IT YOU ********' GOT ME. Dis ain't real!"
Jamal wanted nothing more than to run over to Greer and yank all her feathers from her 'costume' or to tear off Ambrose's 'fake' ears or to pull out his fur....but instead he settled for a violent kick at the chair he recently left. The chair didn't go far; it left the ground for a few seconds before crashing loudly into another table with a metallic clang.
When Greer leapt from her chair, he turned his attention to her and his hands flexed back into tight fists, eyes narrowing dangerously into a fine icy glare. He wanted to sock her in her loudmouth face and it showed by the tension in his body language.
A sick panic started to swirl in his stomach despite his best intentions. He could NOT let them get to him like this. This was not real. Ambrose looked back and forth as suddenly three people began yelling. He knew it was hard to deal with, but he could smell the tension rising.
In a moment, Ambrose was on his feet as well. trying to separate Greer from the large, and violent-looking black man. Vasile wasn't helping things by yelling at Greer as well.
"Whoawhoawhoawhoa!" Ambrose said loudly. "Calm down! Everyone!" His hackles were bristled, his ears pressed flat. "We're not enemies here!" Ambrose remembered the Dude's argument with him that was now a long time ago.
His eyes went from Greer to Jamal. Vasile appeared to have been diverted by the short woman. Papparatzi-? But he pushed the thought from his mind at the moment.
"Yes, this situation SUCKS. Yes, this is real. Yes, it's hard to sink in." Ambrose looked to Vasile. "Vasile wouldn't believe it until it happened to him. Somewhere, I think he did believe, but he wouldn't dwell on it until it was too late. I don't know if that was a better way or not. But the fact of the matter is we're all in this together. Jamal. You are welcome to put me to the test. Tug on my tail, whatever. Or wait until it happens to you and let that shatter your worldview."
Ambrose took a few deep breaths, trying to keep the emotions that started to fire under the surface down where they belonged.Finishing her food, Greer glared at Vasile through slitted eyes and only barely registered his change. "This isn't your battle, pretty boy. Go do what you're good at and kiss the girls, hmm?"
Turning back to Jamal, she slowly stood again and pushed her chair to the side, giving herself space to kick and move. In back of her head Greer could hear her human self trying to persuade her to be calm and rational about all of this, but the hawk would have none of it. For the first time since her change the animal was in full control, and as much as the angry confidence and potential for violence scared her it intregued her as well. It was a strange situation, finding yourself protesting and rubber necking at your own actions, completely unable to stop them.
"Back off Ambrose, I can take care of myself. The big man is afraid and wants to take it out on us." She sneered at Jamal, adjusting her balance unconsciously as her sharp vision read the nuances of his body language. "Well? What're you going to do?" Joliette was now completely distrcted away from the main arguement, she narrowed her eyes at Vasile "I Mr. DiRossi am NOT a paparazzi!" she said firmly and with a touch of distaste as if she were going to spit the word out "I AM a photo journalist who happened to follow a rumor that disappearances in this area were NOT what they seemed to be, and what did I find? You, but in case you haven't noticed I'm now in the same boat as you are, and that's not the Princess!" she hated that term and hated it even more when it was applied to her Vasile looked with distaste at Joliette. "Photojournalist? You've got to be kidding me? Call it what you like, but a rose by any other name, my dear."
He just shook his head then looked back to Greer. "You got an egg stuck up your a** or something, Greer?" Greer was pretty right. He -was- scared. ******** terrified. But his answer to fear had always been one thing: violence. And now this mismatched mess of a human being/hawk had peaked and shattered the delicate dam he had put on his temper.
"Oh, so yous wanna throw down? FINE. Bring it," he snarled gutterly, setting his jaw while wishing he had a knife on him. He did not normally challenge woman and he didn't normally fight them physically either....but if she wanted to start writing checks her a** couldn't pay, then fine. He'd been yearning for a good brawl anyway and if the twig thought she could bring it, then fine. Jamal had a feeling it wouldn't get that far though; there were too many bystanders.
He ignored Ambrose for the most part, though at the tail-tugging he smirked sarcastically. "Then get yo' a** ova herr and let me yank," he said without any sort of politeness to it. "********' prove to me dis ain't just a bad drug trip." Ambrose had been more worried about Jamal being the threat since he saw him ball his fists, but as Greer stood up, bitched at Jamal and then Vasile for just trying to explain that they were all having a hard time, Ambrose did a double-take, turning to stare at Greer. This wasn't the sweet, meek, friendly Greer he knew. What the hell was going on? Ambrose admittedly hadn't seen her much since her transformation, but when he did he had never glimpsed THIS.
The snarl (and growl) was becoming more evident in his voice as the conflict was rising all around him. Ambrose may be many things, but he was not a coward. Perhaps a bit too overconfident in many situations. Albeit his chivalric nature was confused as Greer appeard to be trying to start the fight.
"Greer... what in the hell has gotten into yo-" He was cut off at Vasile's snide remark.
"Vasile!" He snapped, aghast at the vulgar insult to her avian nature.
HIs blood was pumping with the yelling, and he was feeling his temper boiling dangerously high. But he took some breaths, determined not to lose it... not to lose. He wasn't an animal!.... really....
He turned to Jamal, after giving Greer a warning glance, his respect for the man actually going up a few notches at apparently at least being willing to step up to the challenge non-violently. Even if it was laced with expletives.
"Fine." Ambrose said, and walked closer to Jamal, facing him. Feeling awkward turning his a** towards him, he settled for turning sideways, giving everyone in the room an "I'm watching you" look. "Knock yourself out." She hissed at Jamal through her beak and teeth, seeing red and ignoring Ambrose. No one challenged her in her territory, which this was since as they'd discussed earlier she'd clearly gotten here first! She'd tear his eyes out with her feet-
Talons at the ready, she paused for a moment to respond to the movie star. "Just a little tired of being a nice, quiet little mother figure who holds every one's hand and tells them it'll be okay while the doctor's injection mangles my face. I haven't been angry about any of this for a full three damn months, so you'll have to forgive me if I think I'm a little entitled." Greer snarled venomously back at Vasile, envisioning her hand breaking his nose with a well-thrown punch. Imagine the rain of blood that would rush down his face...
Horrified, Greer grabbed fragile control of herself. What was she doing? She didn't hurt people! Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it, the woman frowned and tried to stuff her murderous intentions back into their box. Joliette fumed, she hated it she really did, but lashing out at someone when it was not self defense was not her style. Certainly she could if she wanted she had the training, but for now she bit her toungue in anger. Her eyes left the 'star' and moved to the others and watched Ambrose move closer she hoped for some calm soon... "Look here, Birdbitch," he said to Greer, crossing his arms. "You have a right to angry, but don't be angry at... him." Yeah, good going, Vasile. Pick a fight defending a guy you've never even seen before. But oh had Greer hit a sore spot. All the time people got angry at him- yelled at him fo rnot believeing. And how stupid that made him feel. And how.. used. "Blame that limey excuse for a doctor who runs the place! That b*****d almost gave me a concussion today!" When Greer didn't try to punch him, Jamal's hotblooded, raring and ready to fight disposition lessened somewhat. If anything, the woman looked conflicted; either she was scared to fight now or she decided against it for other reasons. Well, whatever.
Ambrose snared his attention again for the most part and Jamal gave the wolfman a look boardering on disgust that slowly morphed into an expression of impending meltdown as the blonde boy got closer. He didn't even have to tug on his tail. Jamal could see the fur rippling with his movements, held fast at the roots...the fangs that were firmly embedded in the man's jaws when he spoke with a canine-like growl to his syllables...and the tail that flicked and twisted without any outside forces. The black man's eyes searched Ambrose's face for a moment, struggling to see anything there he might even remember from their brief meeting at the party.
"My ********' gawd...jesus christa'pher christ...." he whispered after a pregnant pause, hands unfisting and now splaying over his face as he fought the urge to scream. Jamal understood what Awen meant now and understood why she had the urge to yell the other night on the beach. "G...get away from me. Jus' go. Jus' go ova' wit' dem." He turned his back on the group and dropped his hands to brace himself against one of the tables, leaning over it and breathing heavily as a wave of nausea swept his body."Greer! You have every right to be angry! Hell, I'm tired of feeling guilty for saying that my problems matter too! But for God's sake direct your anger to the right party! This isn't Jamal's fault! This isn't Vasile's fault! Vasile's right! It's the Doctor's. And I know as well as anyone that he's untouchable as far as we can discern. But taking it out on your friends isn't the answer. It's letting him, and the damn Animal DNA that's coursing through your veins win." Ambrose barked. "I came dangerously close to getting into a fight with the Dude months ago. ANd I wasn't even as far 'developed' as either of us are now. But it scared the s**t out of me. And the last thing I want to see happening is us - ANY of us - giving into these impulses! The Greer I knew would never say things like this!"
And it was true. The Greer he knew was nothing like the woman before him. A small part of him, that Ambrose immediately felt guilty for even thinking, was almost glad that things hadn't cemented between them. No - that was horrible! This WASN'T her. This was what Moreau had done to her... he just hoped... desperately hoped... that animal instincts wouldn't take over Emelyn.... or... him.
Breathing, he turned back to Jamal, finally sensing that the tension might be begining to break. Jamal's critical eye was passing over his fur, his features... and the angered smell took on the acrid smell of fear as Jamal backed up.
But... with Jamal's fear and, furthermore, cry to send him back with the other 'freaks' in not so many words, Ambrose felt like he had been kicked.
Glancing backwards, but not moving, he took another steadying breath of his own. "Jamal..." He said more softly... "I'm sorry.... I ... I hate being the one to have to break this to people. I truly am. Just... just know that you're not alone here." Ambrose almost reached out to put a comforting hand on his back, but he paused, his hand frozen midway between them, looking at the contrast of fur and claws against the smooth skin of the fully human man before him.
He was a freak. Even if he was among others like him... there was no escaping that thought that became painfully obvious as he stood there, seeing the contrast between the two of them. "I wasn't blaming Jamal, I was just-" Greer made a frustrated sound and tried to cover her face with her hands, jerking back from her own touch when her fingers brushed her beak. What had happened to her? This wasn't her body, this wasn't her temperment...
Eyes showing too much white as they flicked from Jamal to Vasile to Ambrose, she backed up skittishly, nearly falling over a chair. "I'm sorry, so so sorry! I didn't mean to- I would never- I-" She cut herself off, unable to finish a sentence and let them know the terrible things she'd been thinking. Wincing at Ambrose's chastizement, she held up her hands to ward the others off as she continued to retreat.
"Jamal, Vasile, please forgive me. I'm so sorry I said those things! Ambrose, I- don't hate me, please? Please?" Her voice was small and nervous as she bowed an apology to the female she didn't know. "I need to go. I'm sorry. Excuse me!"
Greer turned and ran, bolting from the communal area and back into her room. She couldn't stay any longer- for every word she'd said the hawk had snarled and shown her what these stupid challengers would look like mangled underneath her talons. Yelling was one thing, but if she ever hurt another person she could never forgive herself, animal thoughts or no.Joliette was close to running herself, "what happened to the 'friendly' people Ambrosse had said inhabited the village" she whispered to herself, these certainly didn't seem to be them. Least not at this vantage. Her eyes darted from person to person and she held her ground from running... "O-okay" she said nervously and stepped out of the bird-lady's way, she wouldn't have likely stood in the way even if the woman hadn't said anything to her Vasile sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I remembered why I hate cafetaria food," he mumbled, and headed back out the door, giving a frustrated look to Ambrose before he disapeared out the door. And at this probably very inopportune moment, the Dude walked into the cafeteria. He looked tired and down. He had walked the perimeter of the island up and down, then SWAM around the entire island. And nothing! Not even a trace of the yacht ... How did Moreau do it, anyway!? How could on make an entire yacht just dissappear!?? Deep in those thoughs and miserable from all the fruitless searching, he almost ran into Vasile on his way out. Wow, Vasile looked like friggin Legolas ... huh? ... but then he heard the various shouting coming from the back and concentrated on that.
Jamal was panicing in the corner, Ambrose was saying something loudly, all agitated, Joliette was half frozen in the corner with her camera ... and then there was Greer, her feathers flustered, looking like a very pissed off chicken.
WTF?
"Hey ... erm ..." - he walked up to the group and next to Greer. "What's everyone so angry about?" Jamal didn't know that Ambrose was behind him still or that the blonde boy was in a long-suffering internal battle as he compared his furry hands to Jamal's normal human flesh. His ears were ringing painfully as blood rushed out of his face, giving him an ashen complexion. The departure of Greer and Vasile were not noted at all...he was too busy falling to his knees there at the table side, his forehead pressing now against the cool edge of the table as his hands pulled across the table top until they clutched the same edge that propped his head up.
For once in his life, he felt broken. Even after he murdered the guy that got him in this mess, he never once felt like he wasn't invincible; he was clever enough to get out of that situation. But now he'd put himself into something he had no way out of.
He swallowed hard, feeling bile rise in his throat, and let his hands fall from their perch into his lap as he kneeled at the table side. They stayed there for several breaths before he suddenly took one hand and crossed it to the opposite shoulder, his fingertips feeling around until he felt a small bit of raised skin where he'd been injected at. Jamal touched it softly, sliding the finger tips across it a few times before starting to, for all purposes, claw madly at the site.
"Get it out....get it out," he moaned to himself in an increasingly crazed tone as his nails started to rub the spot raw. He couldn't handle this anymore. Ambrose forcibly pulled himself out of his thoughts as Greer had reality crash around her. Turning, he looked to her and opened and closed his mouth. "Greer.... I... don't hate you. What's happening to us is terrifying.... just... don't let it win.." He finished finally, the growl gone from his voice, left only with a cold ache at the scene he had seen fall around him.
He winced to Vasile as he departed, holing up his hand in a dejected wave as he exited.
"And they are friendly, Joliette... usually.. Honestly... just a bad time." Ambrose sounded tired... but more than tired he felt disturbed. Greer was the last one who would do something like that. He could smell her fury, feel her at the cusp of violence... how could that happen to them?? They were all at a breaking point - nerves on HIGH
And it was then that Jamal really did break... falling, clawing at his arm, where the poison had been pumped into his veins. The liquid that would soon rob him too of his humanity. Everything that Ambrose had felt himself was suddenly made real by Jamal's actions, the denial turned fear.
The part of Ambrose that yearned to be a hero screamed at him to not allow this man to fall into his own misery... into madness like his duplexmate had.
With a flurry of action, Ambrose seized Jamal by the shoulders, forcing him to look him in the eye. "It's there. It's not going anywhere! I know how badly you want to wake up, to make all of this go away, to have never have come! And I know how much the reality of this terrifies you! It's closed in around me like a nightmare - betrayed by my own skin because of what they've done to me. But you HAVE to hold out! .... We need eachother... we can't let eachother break to this." He pleaded in a strangled yell. Joliette nodded slowly at Ambrose's words, "Okay" she said meekly she sat down on the nearest chair her nerves severely rattled as it all started to sink in. She stared directly at the floor looking in shock as she heard Ambrose's words to Jamal Digging...clawing...scratching. Whatever it took, he had to get it out. He couldn't do this. He was a ******** human being, not some experiment.
But he was literally shaken from his task by Ambrose's actions, his gaze only meeting the young man's because he was forced to. The fright that reflected in the black man's eyes as he looked upon what he'd probably eventually have to deal with was evident beyond any measure.
Ambrose's words were muffled and hardly distinguishable to Jamal. Nothing made sense anymore.
He did this to himself. This was payment for what he did back home. He was sure of it now.
He deserved this. His eyes held Jamals' with an intensity for a few more moments before he released him from his grasp and took a few steps back.
He wasn't helping.... Like a slap in the face Ambrose realized that he couldn't help. Not right now. THe fear in Jamal's eyes that filled Ambrose's nose told him that... only worsening with Ambrose's touch.
He wanted so much to be the hero..
To help people through this at the very least if he couldn't help himself.
But he was too much of a freak to do so. He had hoped that, at the very least, he could still be himself - keep himself to his goals and be a good person despite the fur and fangs. But looking at the fear in the man's eyes as he was confronted with not only a monster, but his future... Ambrose's heart was wrenched into his stomach.
"I'm sorry..." He mouthed. "I'm so sorry!" He backpedaled, eyes stinging. He turned, and leaving his meal behind, fled back to his duplex. Joliette looked up as Ambrosse sped past her and then looked towards Jamal, she couldn't think of what to say, and just looked at him the look in her eyes was like her whole world crumbling away Jamal wasn't even aware of the girl's presence anymore. He was a ******** goner. It was all over.
"I can't be herr..." he said out of the blue, getting to his feet in a very clumsy manner (he almost knocked his head into the table). "I can't do dis. I can't."
His head pounded severely as he weakly and slowly headed for the door. Jamal needed to go home
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:36 pm
Joliette Rigiel ~ New RP ~ Joliette left her duplex looking rather perplexed, but nothing overspoke her stomach right then. So instead of sitting in her duplex and stewing over the puzzle she left her duplex hands in pockets and headed for the cafeteriaVasile DiRossi Vasile was heading his way to the cafetaria as well, Brutus, his miniscule dog, following behind him on his leash.
He spotted the small woman and bit his bottom lip. Pappratzi or not, she wasn't going anywhere with those pictures annyway. And sadly, he would have just LOVED for those pics to show up on PEOPLE Magazine. Scandal or not.. at least people would be out looking for him.
"Uh, hi.." he called to her. Joliette Rigiel Joliette looked up and around, the star, well this could be interesting she thought to herself "Hello" she said stopping so that he may catch up with her should he want to. She pulled a scrunchie from her pocket and pulled her hair back tying it in a ponytail Vasile DiRossi Vasile took his place beside her, pulling Brutus away from her ankles to aviod any temptation.
"Heya...uhm... I'm sorry about your boat." He didn't want to flat out asked if she's been told yet.. but generally unless she had been hiding under a rock... Joliette Rigiel "Trust me, so am I" she said with a sigh, "I can't say I would have expected anyone to take apart a yacht for the sake of keeping someone somewhere" she stuffed her hands back into her pockets "But what is done.. well as much as I dont like it I can't change it" she eyed his little dog for a moment not really all that concerned about it just yet Vasile DiRossi "I think too many people have this.. 'I can't change it' attitude' Vasile sighed. "We should stage a mutiny."
Then he looked her over. She was fairy cute, after all. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Vasile DiRossi... but you knew that." He extended a clawed hand to her. Joliette Rigiel She chuckled "yeah mutiny would be nice, I have no desire to be a part of their experiments" she looked up at him and then took his hand "Joliette Rigiel" she said introducing herself properly to him her grip steady and firm dispite her size Vasile DiRossi She had an accent, too. Definately sexy. "Nice to meet you, Joliette." He looked her over again, especially at her arm. "Have they already... you know..?" Joliette Rigiel "Unfortunately yes, found that out when I found out the truth behind this island" she admitted "I turned him down for his immunization when I got here, I would imagine he gave it to me after I blacked out" Vasile DiRossi "Blacked out..?"
Vasile shook his head. "The lying sons of bitches. They told me I was getting an immuization, too."
He looked back to her. "Hey - on the boat you mentioned something abuot ... my death?" He seemed to pale a bit. "What do they say happened to me?" Joliette Rigiel "Yes, I started feeling very ill in Sabin's office and he was taking me to see a medical team and I blacked out on the way. Immunizations, I've heard thats what they tell everyone... and it seems we both fell for the same ruse.. a movie" she sighed "Hmm? oh yes, your flight disappeared in the bermuda triangle and searches have been fruitless and have turned up nothing so you were presumed dead." Vasile DiRossi Vasile growled. "Dead. They faked my death? Who could have done that? I mean, it had to be more than just Moreau... wouldn't it have to be? Why would someone DO that to me?" Joliette Rigiel "I am uncertain, only to know your last movie topped the charts for a long time, not to mention make your manager one of the most sought after managers in hollywood. Hopefully more people decide to challenge the truth behind the bermuda triangle." she sighed "Who knows what we'll all be like by the time that happens though" Vasile DiRossi "You think... my manager had something to do with this? What that ungrateful inbreed.." his lips curled up into a snarl - but then he stopped himself and shook his head. "Ugh, not that it really matters now," he huffed, tying Brutus's leash to a post outside the cafeteria.
"Care to join me for lunch?" Vasile DiRossi Vasile gave a dashing smile and slipped his arm around her shoulder. "Allright then, we have such fine dining here. Thats saracasm, of course... but it grows on you." Joliette Rigiel Joliette shrugged, she really hadn't looked into much about his manager, least not THAT in depth "Sure, I was heading in that direction anyways" she said with a nod temporarily forgetting about her previous train of thought Vasile DiRossi Vasile gave a dashing smile and slipped his arm around her shoulder. "Allright then, we have such fine dining here. Thats saracasm, of course... but it grows on you." Joliette Rigiel Joliette laughed "Long as it's grown from the ground or a tree I'm happy" she told him. Ordinary she was very much into personal space, but she decided to let it go, she doubted anything bad would happen, least not with him Vasile DiRossi "Ah, you're a vegan, then?" Vasile asked. He had lived in Hollywood long enough to at least be familiar with every kind of strange and wild diet out there. "Or, uh, one of those whole-foods kind of person. Ya know.. nuts and fruits and coconut milk?"
The cafetaria was empty, the small buffet presenting todays selections. There was some kind of a caserole for the entre, and then its usual selection of fruits, veggies, beverages. Joliette Rigiel "Vegan yes, have been for a few years now" she confirmed as she perused the selection ahead of them opting for a fruit salad. "Eat healthy and do not harm animals... it's the reason I turned down that 'immunization' irony hits in that though I suppose" Vasile DiRossi Vasile poked around, gathering a small selection of what was available. "I work out too much to go Vegan. I need lots of protein, and the soy stuff just doesn't cut it for me. Plus, to be honest, I just like the taste." He flashed a fanged grin at her. "More so now, it seems. But its not as bad as Ambrose. He's lost most of his taste for fruit and veggies. I haven't really.. lost my taste for antthing."
He popped a peice of melon in his mouth. "Hopefully you'll be lucky and get like.. a rabbit or something." Joliette Rigiel Joliette nodded "I can hope, but with the reception I got I wont get my hopes too high. " she smiled and headed for a table with her plate "What is it you are.. changing to" she hoped he would not get too upset at that question Vasile DiRossi A frown tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I don't know for sure," he said as he took a seat next to her. "I went up to the labs to ask once, with a friend of mine who's turning into a snake-bird. But I got so caught up into what was happening with her, I kind of forget to ask. She was losing her legs, so she was pretty upset.
Ambrose says its definately canine. Maybe another wolf, or a fox. But I have a fear its a maltese." Joliette Rigiel "A snake-bird? well I can't say I've run into her yet" she mused "If she's losing her legs I can't say I blame her though for being upset. Canine seems a certain.." she looks him over "something with silver I guess" she pondered that thought as she took a bite of her food Vasile DiRossi "Yeah, she can pretty reclusive. She's in a wheelchair, now. I guess thats got to be pretty hard. Ambrose says I should consider myself lucky considering the circumstances. I guess he's right.. but then he changed again and looks.. so different. So I'm kind of freaked out again."
He looked her over and watched her eat, and he took a few bites himself. "At least you seem to be handling it rather well. I made myself look a completely fool for the first couple of weeks. I told everyone that they were being too incharacter." Joliette Rigiel She chuckled "I tried to be professional, keep distance and such, Amaya told me the truth the next day, it made your actions and everyone's desire for my boat make sense. Though I dont think it really sunk in till after that huge arguement the other day. I'm just worried Sabin chose something that doesn't eat vegetables, he certainly seemed to hate the fact I am vegan when I was in his office." she sighed Vasile DiRossi "Just be lucky it wasn't Moreau himself. He's more off his rocker than that Sabin fellow. The only person who seems to have a right head is this Doctor Lockheart person. Until you find out she's boinking the doctor, and that kind of speaks for her sanity right there."
He put a clawed hand on her shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. "Well, that'll take some getting used to, I'm sure. But like.. they have vegitarian dog food and stuff, you know? I'm sure of you're careful with your protien intake you can stay a vegan. I mean.. he doesn't turn us into complete animals." At least.. not yet. Joliette Rigiel "Guess only time will tell" she said looking at him with a nod and a smile, she hadn't been sure this conversation would be one she'd want to have with him after their previous encounter. She looked at him as if pondering something, then spoke "You know, your hair does look better that length then the length you had it in most of your hollywood carreer" Vasile DiRossi Vasile gave a rueful smile and ran his fingers through it. "Yeah? You're not the first person to tell me so. Its growing on me. Even if it is ... grey at the roots." Joliette Rigiel Joliette laughed "Don't think of them as grey, think of them as silver, as well as making your hairstyle, well.. unique" she leaned on the table looking over at him Vasile DiRossi Vasile looked back at her, his smile turning smug. Old habit die hard. Very hard. "I like the way you think," he purred at her, scooted closer. "Anyway, I guess I should be saying thank you for the compliment. I guess I really should consider myself pretty lucky. At least for now." Joliette Rigiel She chuckled "I suppose thats the artist inside me, Unique is good, sets one apart from the rest." she listened to the intersting purr emenating from him "And you are welcome for the compliment Vasile" Vasile DiRossi "Artist, hmm..." he leaned a bit. "So do you have any other...talebts besides taking pictires of missing celebrities?" he let his eyebrows raise with a seductive undertone to his voice. Joliette Rigiel "Just photography and martial arts, I spent too much time behind the viewfinder to develop any others" she said with a smile, call her naive but she hadn't caught his undertone as he spoke Vasile DiRossi Vasile lets a thought slip through his head, and used the martial arts comment to let him get away with obviously letting his eyes linger over her figure. "I bet you're limber," he smiled, taking in her petite size. "You carry yourself with a certain aire... to be honest I figured you must work out somehow. I was guessing martial arts or yoga." Joliette Rigiel "Never had patience for yoga, probably wouldn't had had for martial arts either if mom and dad hadn't insisted I would take them" she said shifting in her seat a little, she saw his looking eyes but didn't really worry about it, it'd been quite a while since anyone had looked at her for more then her size and she didn't figure anything different Vasile DiRossi "Small and feirce," he let himself laugh. "Maybe you'll turn into a mongoose! Anyway, you should thank your parents, then. Looks like whatever you've done, its worked out well," he flashed her a toothy grin. Joliette Rigiel "Eat healthy and work out, and photo missing stars" she joked giving him a wink and then a laugh of her own "As for mongoose... who knows" she relaxed eatting some more of her salad as she pondered that possibility Vasile DiRossi "Well, its not exactly as flashy as martial arts, but I take a run along the shoreline every morning. Would you care to join me tomorrow?" Joliette Rigiel "I'm taking a wild guess thats what I caught you doing from my boat" she said with a chuckle and then nodded "Sure, I'll join you, would get me away from my duplex" she smiled Vasile DiRossi Vasile scratched the back of his head. "yeah, thats what I was doing. Believe it or not, I don't normally run around in nothing but a pair of short-shorts." Joliette Rigiel Joliette laughed "I believe they'll make an interesting photo anyways, don't worry I believe you, besides if you did, thats what you'd be wearing right now" she grinned playfully Vasile DiRossi "Don't tell me you're actually going to develop those pictures" he said with a fake look of shock. "What are you going to do? Make the Island Enquirer!"
He returned her playful grin. "Well I do take requests..." Joliette Rigiel She laughed "Yes I am, and no, just for the sake of developing them, I dont like having filled rolls of film hanging around" She looked him over "You do now do you..." she quirked a brow Vasile DiRossi "Indeed," he said, striking an impromptu model pose. "But you should feel privlidged, I don't take request from just anyone." Joliette Rigiel Joliette's smile widened as she laughed at his humour, she placed a hand to her chest "Oh Vasile.. I am soo honored" she said with a playfully teasing edge to her voice her eyes sparkling with her laughter Vasile DiRossi "You should be," he smirked, "because if we weren't trapped on an island together I'd be saying 'You'll be hearing from my lawyer if you so much as dare publish those pictures!'" Joliette Rigiel "Freedom of the press dear Vasile, freedom of the press" she smirked right back "It's one thing I've always loved about my job" she watched him with a sense of amusement Vasile DiRossi "Bah," he said, waving his hand. "Whatever happened to privacy? I mean, I'm sure you wouldn't like having someone watching you all the time" he let his eyes linger to illustrate his point. Joliette Rigiel That sparks what she had been thinking about previous and her smirk slipped "You know that makes me wonder just how much they watch us here, and how, I walked into my duplex and a moment later Sabin was speaking through the intercom" Vasile DiRossi Vasile's smile faded as the flirtatios attitude of hers was gone and reality came crashing back. "It wouldn't surprise me," he said, bitterfly. "The higher-ups are all pretty sicko." Joliette Rigiel She shivered at the thought "I don't like that thought" she said biting her lip and looking at him she sighed "Something to not dwell upon I suppose" she said trying to soften the atmosphere again with a small smile Vasile DiRossi "Yes, lets not worry about that now," he said, slipping his arm around her shoulder again. "So... what exactly shall we do from now until tomorrow morning, I wonder?" Joliette Rigiel "You know, I'm pretty open, I've done as much to the darkroom as I want to do today, besides boards theirs not much more I can do till the equipment arrives" she felt somehow at ease with him Vasile DiRossi "Well, there's the beach, the movie theatre, har har, and well, just getting to know each other better up in my room," he gave her a pointed look, reading her expression.
Suddenly a wave of guilt washed over him as an image of Cass univitingly pushed its way into his mind. He shifted, but tried to shake it off. As much as he, well, liked Cass... he was still pretty certain his feelings were not quite so requited.
Anyway, it wasn't like he was asking Jolitte to marry him. Far, far from it.
To be perfectly honest with himself, his lack of respect of the Papparatzi probably accounted for his ease with flirting with her so unbashidly.
Dammit, he never used to do this.. self-analyze himself. This island was doing more to him than just change him into an animal. Joliette Rigiel Joliette pondered the options or lack thereof. Sure he was talking about his room, but she knew if she had to she could defend herself.. oh hell Joliette why are you so totally living in the past, the way you were on teh mainland is not entirely possible to be like here she berated erself in her mind then nodded "All right, why not, getting to know the people I will spend the rest of my life with seems like a good idea to me" she smiles Vasile DiRossi Vasile's eyes widened a bit, but he quickly covered with a smug grin. "Sounds like a plan," he said, standing up and offering her his hand. "You know, there's a guy here whos girlfriend is turning into a bird - I think you saw her, Greer. Anyway, I think he's upset because he can't kiss her anymore like he used to. Its, well, kind of sad. Makes you really want to live life as much as you can, while you can," he slipped his arms around her waist and started leading her towards his duplex, picking up Brutus along the way. Joliette Rigiel "Yes I saw Greer, didn't formally meet her though, too much explosions going on at the time" she gave a weak smile at that as she walked with him "I guess living my life as I am while I can is why I dont want to give up my photography" she looked down at hte dog "What kind of dog is your dog..?" she asked curiously Vasile DiRossi "Well, thats good. The staff, at the very least, seems willing to meet to most of our material needs."
He looked down to the little black and tan pup at his feet. "Miniature Pinsher," he said with a smile. "Lots of attitude - compact size." Joliette Rigiel She nodded, another unique thing, she laughed "That reminds me of the Aladdin movie 'Colossol powers, itty bitty living space' or something of the like" she didn't touch on the material good issue, she didn't feel like having another debate about the 'generosity' or if she should have been more specific in her request. Nor did she feel like getting all wound up over it just then either Vasile DiRossi Vasile chuckled at her joke. "Perhaps. He certainly has had his own case of reality check. The Dude's massive cat almost killed the poor thing." Vasile DiRossi Vasile led her up to his duplex. "He's a big red terror, but he's probably with his owner. The pest."
Vasile unlocked the door to his room and her in. For being a bacheloer and all, the place of spotless. Boredem had stirred Vasile to clean his room from top to bottom on more than on occasioan. "Make yourself comfortable."
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:36 pm
Joliette wandered into his duplex looking about her, for a male she had to give him credit for his immaculate living space. She moved to his armchair and sat down. She looked in his direction "I'm impressed" she said with a soft chuckle
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:38 pm
Vasile chucked himself. "Yeah, well... I'm spoiled. But I have to be honest with you... sheer boredom drove me to do most of it." He sat down on the bed and watched her.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:42 pm
Joliette chuckled "My darkroom back home is this tidy, my flat, well that was a bird of another color" she smiled watching him with interest, he certainly didn't seem like the person she would have imagined he was if she'd never met him
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:46 pm
"I'm having to come to terms with, well how dependant I was on other people," Vasile admitted, shifting to a lounging position on the bed. "I've never really, well, had to do stuff like... clean, before. I know that sounds absolutely horrible I bet." He took off his shades and tossed them on the bedside table. "I'm hoping someone might teach me to do laundry next. I'm running out of clothes."
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:48 pm
Joliette laughed "If you'd like I'll teach you, but I won't do it for you" she pulls her legs up under her leaning on the arm of the chair "Can't learn if someone does it for you, you must have brought a lot of clothing if you are only just running out now"
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:52 pm
Vasile smiled, wondering if he could, somehow, end up having her do them for him. "Oh, I was real picky anout what I would wear out to work out, and what to wear to go each and- wow, I probably sound really a**l. But yeah, I've been careful. And taking lots of showers."
Vasile had brought only a few bags with him. Which was more clothing than most people probably had, but to him it was only a small portion of his wardrobe.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:56 pm
Joliette laughed "Well I'm not quite so picky, a pair of khaki shorts and a cotton top and I'm happy" she shook her head in amusement "I suppose this whole thing is a learning experience for all of us, you for independancy, me to drag me away from my work now and then"
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:59 pm
"Ah," Vasile saw a jugular exposed and decided to go for it. "You know all work and no play makes Joliette a boring girl," he purred out. "So you're trying to learn to let loose and have some fun?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:01 am
Joliette blushed and laughed "I suppose so, getting stuff done too, but really, there isn't much one can do here, it's not like I have a deadline to meet for print" she said, she'd yet to hear someone purr and that in itself was intriguing her
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:02 am
"When's the last time you went on a date," he queried, learning forward, watching her.
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:07 am
"A date..." she blushed not meeting his gaze "Ah.. well... never actually" she admitted to him "Was always to busy with work or studies if I was asked....."
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:11 am
Vasile gawked. "Oh, you're kidding!"
Wow. He sure could pick them, could he. "That's a shame.. and a waste. I mean.. you've never had a boyfriend?"
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