|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:10 am
Sabin grinned. "No problem! Best of luck to you, and I do hope that you like it here! You're welcome to try the bike in the jungle - there might be some deer or boar paths about, and I know that many of the others like to go for walks, so there might be enough of a trail to work with."
His shoes made loud flopping noises as he shuffled back to the driver's seat and got in the driver's seat.
"Yup!" Sabin replied with a smile, looking completely unashamed. "And that would be appreciated." He winked back.
Sabin positively beamed at the compliment on his outfit. He actually was fond of it himself. He had always figured, if he was going to be on a tropical island, then dammit he was goign to dress the part. Admittedly, last time he went "out west" and dressed like a cowboy, it hadn't gotten him very many appreciative looks, especially matched up with his French accent, but Sabin's eccentric "fashion" sense was never to be daunted. Admittedly, with some of his darker moods recently, his attire had changed to match it, but he couldn't pass up this opportunity. Between being 'given' Zachary, relenquished of his ever-so-enjoyable (but not good for his mental health) time in control, his recent conversations with Awen, and this, he was starting to lighten up a tad.
"Thank you! No one else seems to think so." He gave a playful frown.
"But you take care, I'll go return their things, and hopefully see you around later!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:22 am
"I think I'll love it here," Kaveri grins, "I'll probably even start my own vegetable garden or something. I brought some seeds and tools with me, too."
"Then ******** 'em! I think it looks great," Kavvi laughs, "people need to learn how to appreciate color and self-expression." Taking another quick look around at the duplexes, she notes they're all the same color, and drops in her two cents.
"The houses around here could certainly use some creative influence, I think -- I kinda want to put something on mine to make my house stand out, like a mask on the door or something," the woman thinks aloud, holding her chin and looking at the duplex appraisingly. "Yeah... it could definitely use some more color."
She turns and waves good-bye to Sabin, with a big smile on her face. "Seeya, man! Thanks for the ride and the, uh, immuno-shot thing!"
Kaveri walks towards her duplex, parking the bicycle on the side of the building and heading up the stairs. As she pulls out her key, she makes a mental note to wander around later to figure out where she'd put her garden and make some plans.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
|
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:26 am
"You're welcome to - on both accounts. I know the laboratories won't mind." Sabin pointed to one door that had a spraypainted heart on the door with what looked like a name written in it in the distance. "That one has some personal affects. And I think someone put a custom door knocker on the door."
"Have fun with the garden - the labs are really cool about ordering stuff for you if you need it. But the duplexes are pretty mundane because the labs commissioned them."
He gave her a final wave. "Have a good one, Kaveri!"
And with a turn of the key in the ignition once again, he turned the jeep in a slow circle before heading back down the dirt road towards the labs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:39 am
Kaveri notes this, and mentally makes plans for what kind of mask she'd want to put on her door. She's hoping to find some wood or something she can carve, maybe into a mask of Garuda or something. A brightly-painted, golden-orange mask of Garuda with bulging eyes.
"Oh, really? The labs will really help people out with that kinda stuff? That's really cool of them, getting stuff for us and all," Kavvi smiles.
Once Sabin is gone, she unlocks the door to her duplex and walks in for the very first time. Ah, the smell of a new home - and one that was actually NEW, not abandoned and smelling of dust and mildew.
And best of all, no cops to chase her out.
This was home.
She set her backpack down, sitting down on the bed with the banjo case in her lap and propping the pillow up on the wall behind her - it's been a very long time since she last slept in a bed, as she usually slept in a dirty old sleeping bag or on a charitable friend's couch. Clean sheets, an actual honest-to-goodness mattress...
"Man," she says in quiet awe, taking the banjo out and idly plucking at it, leaning back into the pillow, "this is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I've got it all right here."
~Fin~
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 12:44 am
Meeting the NeighboursMeeting Bobby, 4/7/06Kaveri Porter After waking up from her short nap after her arrival, Kaveri feels quite refreshed and optimistic. Although her arm is still sore and a little bit stiff (getting tense before an injection is never a good idea), she pushes herself up in her bed and stretches, swinging her legs over and sliding off the bed to stand up and yawn. Today looks like a good day to go out and meet some of the other residents of the commune, she figures, and mentally probes for the numbers of the duplexes Sabin gave her earlier today of people who could show her around the place. Duplex 34... that seems like a good place to start off. Leaving her own duplex, she makes her way down the line of identical buildings, scanning the numbers with her eyes, until she stops at the building with the door marked '34.' "Aha!" Kavvi says, her eyes lighting up as she climbs the stairs. Eager to meet whomever's inside - Roberta, was it? - she climbs up the stairs and gingerly raps on the door with her knuckles. Bobby Reynolds Bobby was just about to go to the cafeteria for food when she heard the feet on the stairs. Who was it? She was intrigued, but concerned at the same time. If it was Billy...well, she'd probably have a fit!
"In a minute!" she hollered, still needing to get a second tank-top on. One wasn't enough anymore, it would always ride up her nipples and collect under her original boobs. To overcome that, she was beginning to wear a second tank top. It helped keep the first in place.
Slipping her feet into sandals, Bobby finally made it.
Upon opening the door, the woman stared. Her nose twitched. It was a woman she had never seen, nor smelled, before, and also had a musky kind of scent. She was so confused that she wasn't bashful about her appearance. The idea that this new arrival hadn't met a changed person never occured to her. "Yes, can I help you?" Kaveri Porter Oh. Oh, my. This is kind of unusual..! Don't stare, Kaveri.
Don't stare, it's rude. People are different, you're bound to come across someone that looks a little... strange. They can't help it most of the time! Maybe they were born that way! Don't be scared, she's just like everybody else!"H-hello," Kavvi smiles nervously, taking a step back from the door as it opens and offers a small wave. "My name is Kaveri, I just came here earlier today on the helicopter from Olympia -- Sabin pointed me to your place and told me that you could show me around the island, is that cool with you? I mean, if you're not doing anything already or something..?" As she speaks, she wildly gesticulates, moving her hands in a gently rolling, circular motion. It's really hard not to stare, so Kaveri bashfully looks at her feet instead. She's never seen anyone like this before, but she doesn't want to make them feel bad or anything..! She'll probably get used to it over time, anyways. She was, after all, going to live here - she'd have to get used to the people around her. Bobby Reynolds Bobby blinked, clearing her head. Ahh, so a new arrival, for sure. And just arrived? That would mean chances around she's the first changed person this woman... this Kaveri met... which also meant she probably didn't know. But would Bobby be the one to tell her? She hoped not, but it appeared the odds were not in her favor.
The woman waved Kaveri off, obviously recognizing the stare, "It's alright, I'm getting used to it. I am not even the most... strange... one here." Her motion changed from a forgiving gesture to a welcoming as she held out her hand, "I'm Bobby Reynolds. I'll be more than happy to show you around. I must admit, I am still fairly new. Most of my days have been spent out on picnics around the Island. I will do my best."
Reaching in, Bobby pulled out with her the usual sack, empty now, and hung it over her shoulder. "Did you want to start at the cafeteria?" Food, it was always food first to settle the pig... the woman almost sighed. Kaveri Porter It's a safe guess to assume that no, Kaveri doesn't have a damn clue where she is or what she's getting into. She'll soon find out, certainly - it was just a matter of when, and how well she'd take it. "Hey, it's cool," Kaveri smiles, shaking Bobby's hand, "nice to meet ya anyways! I'm sure we'll get along, right, since we're all here for the same reason." 'Same reason' is correct, although it's not entirely what Kaveri's vision is. "Oh, the cafeteria sounds awesome! I haven't had anything to eat today, so that sounds like a great plan," the woman laughs, giving her stomach a light pat, "let's go!" Bobby Reynolds Bobby had a hard time trying not to snort. 'Same thing'.... right.... She eyed the other woman from the side, but shrugged it off. "Well, I hope we get along.... it would make things much easier, I'd say."
Squeezing past Kaveri with a bashful, apologizing gaze, Bobby trotted down the steps. She circled and spread her arm about, "Well, this is the residency area. You can find almost everyone's living quarters here. Some choose to live out in the jungle and mountains, though... so be prepared for that. If you go this way, you'll get to the Town Hall. For the most part the entertainment room, first aid office for basic things, and the cafeteria are there."
She started out in that direction, walking side-by-side with Kaveri. Bobby would try to answer any questions. First, she had one of her own. "Sabin told you about me? Who is that, one of the lab techs?" Kaveri Porter Was that... a tail? No, Kaveri had to be seeing things. Maybe she was suffering some hallucinatory side effects from that shot or something. She immediately dismisses it, though, and follows Bobby down the stairs. "Cool, cool, I see," Kaveri smiles and nods, looking around at each of the areas Bobby points at. "...lab tech? Sabin? Oh, no! He's the dude who greeted me when I first got off the helicopter and introduced me to the commune, gave me keys to my house and all that. He's a helpful dude, and dresses in really cool, colorful clothes," she explains, then pauses. "You've never met him?" Then again, Bobby did say she was rather new around here... Bobby Reynolds Bobby shook her head, "No, I've never met him before. There are so many people, you cannot really meet them all in just one months time." The fact that this man greeted Kaveri almost immediately made him a lab tech in her mind. She would need to know more. "Did you, umm... get a shot?"
While she asked, her own thoughts were running quickly. WHo exactly was this woman? She was using words she didn't completely understand... then again, Bobby was more familiar with 'ghetto' terms than anything else. Kaveri wasn't wearing enough shinies for that role. Kaveri Porter "You should meet him sometime, he's really cool -- he said he lives in duplex 25, with his lover," Kaveri says while nodding. "A shot? Yeah, standard process for getting onto this place, right? Some immuno-shot thing that keeps us from getting diseases and stuff - tropical island, you know, it's crawling with all kinds of bugs carrying ******** up stuff and none of us really want to get sick and die, right? That would really suck if I came to this place, started a new life, and suddenly got bit by a mosquito and my flesh started falling off or something within a week of arrival," the woman tugs at one of her dreadlocks. "The diseases here are a lot different than those in America, I'm pretty sure. I wonder what kind of stuff you get here... I bet you can get some really harsh stuff while camping if you don't filter the water." Mmm, camping... Kavvi would have to make plans later to go camping in the jungle -- and apparently there were other people who lived in the jungle, they would probably be really interesting to meet! Bobby Reynolds Bobby was almost taken aback. This woman liked to talk just about as much as her! She shook her head, a smile breaking out on her face and exposing the long bottom canines. But the reasoning for the shot.... that almost made her stumbled in mid-step.
"Yeah, the shot is standard here. They don't let you stand on the land for more than 10 minutes without getting one. You won't get sick and die, here. I've been told that the lab techs, and especially the doctor, don't want their, ahh... inhabitants getting anything worse than the common flu." Bobby paused. Bugs? "Come to think of it, I don't think I've encountered any bugs here.... a lot of animals, though, especially mammals and reptiles."
Duplex 25? Now that did make Bobby stop. She stared at Kaveri, "That isn't possible! Joli and Chubbs live in Duplex 25!" Kaveri Porter "That's really cool how much the labs care for our health," Kaveri muses, "it's really nice of them to give us those shots so we don't get sick or anything." Her brows perk at the mention of animals - she didn't expect much in the way of wildlife here, usually native animals are scared off into reclusion when humans move in on their territory. "Animals, really? What kind of animals? On the drive here I heard some birds and a few monkeys... are there more than that here?" But no bugs? That's... odd. Sabin had told her that there were a lot of bugs. "No bugs? How can an island not have bugs?" Kavvi's brows furrowed at the thought, "I mean, they're everywhere, right? A place entirely without bugs is unheard of, especially an intact jungle!" Or did Bobby mean 'bugs' in the viral sense? Kaveri stops behind Bobby, tilting her head curiously. "Are you sure? Sabin told me he lived in 25 with his lover, and I'm pretty sure that was the number he gave me... he didn't give me the name of his partner, though..." Bobby Reynolds Bobby thought about what animals everyone was turning into, "Let me see.... I've seen a wolf, coyote, cheetah, green iguana, pig, snake, komodo dragon, octopus, deer.... but I've heard of a hawk and a bat as well. There may be bugs, but I haven't really encountered them."
She snorted, yeah, they were so kind to give them the shots. Flippin saints!
Bobby turned to Kaveri, "I am quite sure. I have a very good memory, even if it takes me a little longer to remember events. Chubbs and Joli live there." She nodded, but then started walking again. They were almost there, and she could smell the food already.... Kaveri Porter Cheetah? Wolf? None of these animals sound like something you'd find naturally on a remote Pacific island. Kaveri arches her brow as Bobby lists the various critters she's seen - the only things that sound even remotely natural here would be the iguana, the octopus (maybe on the beach?), the snake, and the bat... and maybe the komodo dragon, but that's really pushing it. "That's an unusual collection of animals," Kaveri remarks, thoughtfully rubbing her chin. "Some of them don't even sound like they'd be found natively here." It's taking Kaveri a while to piece things all together, but she's starting to realize that this island isn't exactly a pristine homage to nature - especially if there are things like coyotes running around! The corner of her lip twitches as she mulls over this oddity, but she continues on following Bobby to the cafeteria. "Huh, well. Either way, if I'm wrong, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to visit them, right? I want to get to know my neighbours," the woman nods. Mm, whatever it is they're serving up at the cafeteria smells good... Kaveri hopes it's organic. Bobby Reynolds Bobby mumbled under her breath, "No, those animals are not native to the area...."
She looked over at Kaveri and smiled, "There is absolutely no harm in meeting your neighbors. In fact, I think many of them would enjoy your company. I know for myself it was a pleasant surprise to have you knock on my door!"
As the turned the corner, the Town Hall loomed ahead. And with it, the cafeteria. Bobby walked the last few strides with an unusual gusto. She was fairly hungry and needed to restock! Opening the big doors, Bobby stood aside to allow Kaveri to enter, "By all means...." She winked, and then lead the way to the buffet. Bobby Reynolds --continued from Duplex 34-- at cafeteria Bobby mumbled under her breath, "No, those animals are not native to the area...."
She looked over at Kaveri and smiled, "There is absolutely no harm in meeting your neighbors. In fact, I think many of them would enjoy your company. I know for myself it was a pleasant surprise to have you knock on my door!"
As the turned the corner, the Town Hall loomed ahead. And with it, the cafeteria. Bobby walked the last few strides with an unusual gusto. She was fairly hungry and needed to restock! Opening the big doors, Bobby stood aside to allow Kaveri to enter, "By all means...." She winked, and then lead the way to the buffet.Kaveri Porter ...What was that? Kaveri didn't catch what Bobby had muttered about the animals. But she doesn't really mind, and continues to follow her. "I want to get to know people around here, y'know? See how cool everyone is, see what they're like." She offers a friendly smile, twirling a finger around a stray black dred, "that's awesome, I'm really glad Sabin pointed me your way. You're really nice." She grins, and eagerly follows Bobby to the buffet. "Oh, man! Look at all of this stuff!" Bobby Reynolds Bobby smiled, "Well thank you. I think you're really nice too.... I may have to hunt down this Sabin and thank him myself." Of course, her version was probably different and included a few nice, 'if looks could kill' glares for stabbing someone like Kaveri with one of the injections.
"Everyone I've met are nice as well. I hear there are a few, not so nice people, though." She couldn't help but think of what Emelyn had told her the other day about being attacked.
"Dig in, compliments of the doctor....!" Bobby walked to the buffet. She tried to best to make the quickest combinations. By the time she was done she had six entrees and two desserts... with miscellaneous fruits. Kaveri Porter "I look forward to going around the commune and meeting everyone," she nods, then sidles up to the buffet and picks up a tray. She deliberately looks over the entrees, picking up what appears to be a tofu sandwich and some veggie spring rolls. While parts of the selection here is rather unusual -- raw meat?! -- there seems to be something for everyone. Kavvi grabs a few fruits and a packet of juice, but passes on the dessert. The presence of the meat makes the vegan wrinkle her nose with disgust, but the fact the buffet serves tofu makes up for that awful fact. She can only hope the animal was killed humanely. "Man, this stuff is pretty nice," Kaveri says in regards to the food she's put on her tray, "but honestly? I can't wait until I'm able to produce my own food and prepare it myself. I brought over some vegetable seeds with me so I can start a garden. Would you be interested in helping me with that later?" Bobby Reynolds Bobby smiled, her first entree devoured by the time Kaveri sat down. She smiled, her face suspiciously clean. "I qould love to! I used to have a garden at home, but it wasn't the best. New York City isn't always the best place to try to grow your own vegetables. I am shocked you got them passed customs...."
She picked up and apple and ate that too; core, stem, and all. Starting on her next dish, Bobby looked up at the other woman, "Where were you from, if you don't mind me asking?"
Bobby seemed to be opening up a little more now that food was involved. Kaveri Porter "Oh, you're from New York? I've been there once," Kaveri says as she sits down, picking up a spring roll and nibbling on it. While the fact that Bobby can eat an entire apple does unnerve Kavvi a bit, she doesn't show any outward reactions. It might just be who Bobby is! People have different eating habits, who's she to say what's right? "I'm from Oly. Better known on the map as Olympia. It's a city in Washington," she says, looking rather happy as she speaks of her hometown, "the capitol of the state. But it's really peaceful around there, you know? There are a lot of community-orientated things there, like a community theatre and stuff." Bobby Reynolds Bobby smiled, "That must have been nice. New York was very fast-paced. While I didn't feel it was the right place to raise our kids, both me and Trevor were in love with the city and couldn't imagine living anywhere else." As much of an after-thought, the woman sighed. She really had loved the city, even with all it's corruptness... but she was stuck here, turning into a real pig this time.
"Did you have a family back at home?" While she thought Kaveri looked old enough to have broken any ties with her parents, one could never be too sure these days. Kaveri Porter "That was kinda like me and Oly," Kaveri smiles dreamily, "I probably would have stayed there if I weren't offered the chance to live here. But everything is so nice here - it's a beautiful island, and I don't have to worry about anything here but the bugs." "Oh, family? My mom and dad still live in Oly, although they've been doing lots of traveling lately. Hopping trains and hitchhiking to see the country, you know? They really love stuff like that," the woman grins, finishing her spring roll and moving on to the sandwich. "But man," she continues, "it is really nice for me to finally have a home for once." Bobby Reynolds Bobby wasn't sure if she could stand the pretense anymore. She leaned back, setting down her fork. A frown was written over her whole face. "Well, you'll be here for awhile......" Sighing, the woman lost her appetite. Kaveri had parents and at least a lover at home.... she deserved to know she would never see them again.
"I don't know what they told you... but, this Island is a prison.... lavish, yes, but still a prison." Poking at her food with a long, flat nail, Bobby looked up at Kaveri, "When I listed the animals, I wasn't entirely truthful.... every one of them are humans.... turning into animals. The shot you received when you arrived starts the process."
She could hardly look Kaveri in the face, but she eventually lifted her eyes. "I'm sorry..." Kaveri Porter "Of course I'll be here a while," Kaveri says, albeit a little confused about why Bobby is frowning, "I was invited to live here, since this is a commune and all -- and I don't intend to go back to America any time soon, not at all." "A prison?" Kaveri repeats, but quiets down to listen. When Bobby reveals the horrible secret of the Island, Kaveri honestly can't think of any other way to react but with laughter - people turning into animals? That's impossible! Kavvi is starting to get the impression that her newfound friend is an avid fan of science fiction. "You've got a really active imagination, you know that? That's really cool! We should write a story together." Bobby Reynolds Bobby mumbled something about thick skulls as she looked to the side. Then she stood up, the pig a little irritated at being laughed at. "You are one of the rare people that came here of their own free will.... but you are just like everyone else in that you had no idea what was in store for you."
After saying that, Bobby moved to the side, "I am not very far along in the process... so I am not a very good model." The idea of her as a super model almost made her snort... but she was trying to prove a point here!
Liftinf her shirts, the woman showed off the extra siz nipples. Holding them up with one hand, she gave Kaveri a side view, her large butt hanging over with a small tail extending from her spine, "Does this look normal? You cannot even get surgery to get these things to look so real."
In her mood, her little tail wagged a little as Bobby was showing it off. She looked down at just the right time. Her eyes widened in a confused expression, "Humrph, it's never done that before...." The pig was easily distracted. Kaveri Porter ...well. THAT gets Kaveri to shut her mouth well enough. "Come on," she says, her voice suddenly barely audible. "It can't be that bad, can it?" Well, at least not until Bobby gives her a little 'show.' She stares with wide eyes, trying hard not to drop her jaw. She knew there was something 'off' about the lady, but... six nipples? The tail? "No... no," Kaveri shook her head, raising her voice and squeezing her eyes shut, "this is just from the shot ******** with my head. This can't be real..! Cut it out! Urrgh... maybe I should have just slept that thing off... I refuse to believe that any of this is real!" She buries her face in her hands - she wanted to see no more. "I just... I should just... I don't know. If this is a joke, I want you to stop it now because it's not funny anymore." Bobby Reynolds Bobby put her shirt down and looked sadly at Kaveri, "Oh, I wish it was just a joke, because then I could go back to my kids, my husband, my family. I pray every day that I'll wake up in the morning to see my husband sleeping next to me... even to hear the gunshots echoing in the alleys would be a blessing."
She felt there was nothing else to do. The woman felt the day couldn't get any worse. Packing up the rest of the food, Bobby rested a hand on Kaveri's shoulder. "I'm sorry dear, I truly wish it wasn't me that had to tell you. We all have that person that exposes the truth... and you never forget them."
With one last sigh, Bobby flung the sack over her shoulder and walked to the door. She paused and looked back, halfway out, "Take care, Kaveri. I do hope you invite me to help with you garden. To get back to your duplex, just take the turn and head down. I'd take you around more... but I think you may want some time to yourself."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:28 pm
Reserved for the RP with Chubbs and Joli. :3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:30 pm
Hunting and PeckingMeeting Zachary, 4/14/06Kaveri Porter 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. Zachary Bloodstone 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.
Kaveri Porter 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. Zachary Bloodstone 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?"
Kaveri Porter 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.' Zachary Bloodstone 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?"
Kaveri Porter "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?" Zachary Bloodstone "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.
Kaveri Porter 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." Zachary Bloodstone "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?"
Kaveri Porter "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? Zachary Bloodstone Zach grinned mischeviously, once more forgetting the predatory appearance it would give him to display his four sharp canines. However, it vanished as she listed the impossible obstacles they would have to overcome. "Huh, you're right... It's possible this island isn't even on a map. I guess getting a little more information on where we are would help, but I doubt anyone knows but these slimy quacks. So..."
Zach didn't know who she was talking about, but the way she described the man as a chimera made him uneasy. If they could do it to someone else... and they could put wings on a snake... then perhaps Sabin hadn't been joking. His voice lost its intensity. "Y-yeah, sounds like they were asking for it though. Picking tasmanian devil doesn't seem very random. Poor guy. Though, I think... I'm also becoming some kind of chimera. At least, that's what I was told..." He didn't want to elaborate on the killer instincts that were apparently shared by himself and this raving bear-man she spoke of.
"You've got guts, Kaveri," he smiled weakly, having been a bit shaken by the information he'd just heard. As much as he was curious to finally find out what Sabin considered part of a dragon, his refusal to try the intercom again outweighed it. He did feel a little better shouldering some of the guilt he'd felt for losing control onto the scientists of the island. "That sounds exciting. It must be nice to be proud of the things you've done in your life... and really going out of your way to make a difference."
Kaveri Porter "Escaping's gonna be hard, if not impossible," Kaveri muses aloud, "if only for location alone. Who knows what other safeguards these assholes put in so that they may keep their 'pets' in their front yard." She arches a brow, holding out a hand. "You okay, man? You sound a little nervous." She takes a step towards him, intent on putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Great, another guy being turned into a ******** of who knows what? It's bad enough these doctor guys are turning people into animals, but playing mix-and-match, as well?! "I'm sure whatever you got hit with isn't as bad as the bear guy. Chin up, at least you're not in his situation." Really, can you get any more aggro than what poor Chubbs got injected with? "Yeah, it is. It's a shame that nobody really listens to me, though -- I try to spread the truth and the word, and all I get is arrested and thrown in jail. It's happened to me enough times, it's like nobody wants to hear the truth of the matter. People're more concerned about gas prices and tax cuts than they are of their own well-being. It's sad," she shakes her head. Zachary Bloodstone "The latter, more likely, with the resources we have," Zach frowned, idly trying to unhook his clawed fingers one at a time from the shredded hat in his hand. If escape was as impossible as it was starting to sound when thought out, then fighting for their dignity would be all they could do. "Well, getting them back somehow works too. But there was one guy who tried to attack a doctor. They... put him in a cage."
"I'm... I'm fine. Sorry." He swallowed, looking down at the dirt ground a minute before looking back at Kaveri. If that random bout of attacks he'd almost made had come from his animal half, would that madness continue to get worse? He had to stop thinking like that. "Heh. You're better off just ignoring me, I always get kind of nervous. Uh, you're right... I guess this isn't as bad as turning into what that guy is..." Other than the horns and tail, which were largely nuisances, he was glad that he hadn't changed as drastically as people like Cassidy. There were more changes ahead, he was sure, but the longer they were kept at bay, the better. At the moment, he was still humanoid, and he'd have to make use of it. However, the fact that Sabin seemed to be so eager about his mysterious amalgamation of animal DNA left him ill at ease.
"Oh, you never know, some people must have been listening to you. When all the gasoline is gone - and it will be, soon enough - people are going to realize their mistakes. Mistakes that you didn't make." A little too eagerly, he changed the subject back to Kaveri. "You've been jailed? For doing what?"
Kaveri Porter "Need help with that?" Kaveri offers, motioning towards Zach's hand with the hat pieces intertwined between his fingers. "A cage? How disgusting. I guess they really think we are animals," she frowns, wrinkling her nose with disgust. "I would think they'd treat us a little more humanely, but I guess not." "Hey, it's cool. I was just concerned, that's all," she dismissively waves her hand. "I had a skittish friend like that back in Oly. She played in the band with me." She puts her hand down, setting it on her hip again. "Protesting, mostly. And not paying fines when the cops arrested me and my friends for living in an abandoned building -- like I could afford those stupid tickets, anyways. ******** gouges. I believe having a place to live should be a right, not a privelige - and that if someone is resourceful enough to find and live in a home that nobody else is using and hasn't been used in years, they shouldn't have that taken away from them. Can you believe that people throw away perfectly good houses? There may be a small problem with the roof, or the walls rotting out, but everything can be fixed." Zachary Bloodstone "Oh, um, sure..." Slowly, he held out his one hand, several fingers still stuck in the hat's material. He couldn't really pull it off his hands unless he bit it, and with several teeth as sharp as they were, he didn't want the hat stuck in his mouth. "Really sorry. Somehow I forgot about these horns and, well... it's my fault for doing something this stupid. I just wish I hadn't ruined this hat, even if I couldn't have worn it again. Sentimental value and all that."
"And you wouldn't even believe this Good Cop, Bad Cop game they're trying to play with us," he grimaced, thinking of Aubrey. It was hard to trust someone who moments before had threatened him with further disfigurement. His eyes momentarily wandered back to the encroaching jungle foliage around the perimiter of the village, but focused back on Kaveri as she spoke again. "Oh, you're a musician too? What instrument do you play?"
He had a childhood friend, a girl, who had been pretty active in a lot of left-wing organizations as she grew up. She had dragged along to a few protests. While he personally didn't find them enjoyable to be at, he approved of their purpose. "I guess police these days will arrest anyone... no police now but the quacks behind the cameras here." He sighed. "I guess your social security number must not have been enough for them to keep track of you with. Housing has always been kind of odd all over the world. If it was a right, the world would probably be much better. Homing the homeless is something that's desperately needed. But... the world's population is only getting bigger, there would be less and less space entitled to people as long as that trend continues."
Something about the conversation felt a little strange. Talking about the world with Kaveri so casually, as if he was going to get a glimpse of another big city again, seemed to alleviate a little of the homesickness he'd been having. Home, as in the bustling world beyond the shores of the island.
Kaveri Porter Kaveri takes his hand, carefully taking off the pieces of what was once a hat, very mindful of those sharp claws. "Man, you really tore this thing apart," she grins, pulling the last part of the hat off. "No need to apologize, really. You looked like you needed help -- hey, do you still want this?" She offers Zachary his former hat, upon hearing of the sentimental value. She could relate, Kaveri brought a lot of things with her that had sentimental value to her - like her old red bicycle. She wouldn't get much use of it here, but she liked having it there leaning against the side of her duplex like a faithful, if inanimate, watch dog. "I can only imagine what kind of s**t they'll try pulling on me," Kaveri rolls her eyes, then tilts her head when Zach asks her about her choice of instruments. "Oh, mostly string instruments -- my mother taught me how to play the sitar growing up, and my friends convinced me a few years ago to take up playing the four-string banjo for a bluegrass quartet they were planning up - it's definitely different from the many strings of the sitar, it's easy for me. The latter is what I brought with me here." Kaveri squints. "Cameras..? Oh, don't even tell me-- these bastards are taking advice from 1984?" She looks around suspiciously, turning in some random direction and raising her middle finger in the hope that she's aimed at one of those hidden cameras. "******** you guys!" She calls out, then laughs. "Those bastards are smart. If we're to talk about s**t," the woman lowers her voice, "we'll have to be careful about it. Really careful." She's already come up with several vague ideas for methods of communication to thwart the cameras. She'd have to hash them out later, but there would definitely be some written code language that could be known only to the other islanders... hmm. Hmm, hmm, hmm. "I agree, if everyone had a home of their own -- maybe even commune housing to save space -- everything would be better. People wouldn't have to be begging out on the streets, and they'd always have a place to go home to... a place of their own. And maybe people would have their own vegetable gardens and farms, and live independently and without having to spend money on anything but luxury items - all the necessities of life would be at your hands, with no cost but the time and energy you put into it yourself." She exhales a hopeful sigh, absently twirling a finger around a dreadlock as she always does when her hands have nothing better to do. "What I would do to live in a place like that..." Zachary Bloodstone "Thank you. I hadn't realized how sharp those horns were until now." Zach kept his fingers as still as possible to make sure he didn't accidentally cut Kaveri while she got the hat off his hand. He glanced at the tattered hat a moment before shaking his head. "Oh... no, it's useless now. It would just remind me of how much less... human I am. I'll get rid of it, though." He took the hat back from her, careful not to sink any of his claws into it this time.
"I'll have to hear you play some time. You must be pretty professional if you've been playing for so long," he smiled. Zach wasn't adept at any of the fine arts, but he enjoyed them when he could. He grinned at her antics, then made an idle sweep of the surroundings with his eyes before responding to her question in a quieter voice like she had. "So I've been told, at least, and with all the money this laboratory has, they could probably afford it. I mean, once you start turning into an animal, what's unbelievable? But yeah, there's bound to be a way around the cameras, even if there's no way off the island."
"Yeah... a world like that wouldn't be so bad." He looked over at Kaveri's wishful expression, feeling disgust toward whoever had personally tricked her into coming to the island. "I hope you can, eventually."
Kaveri Porter "Why get rid of it when you can make something else out of it?" Kaveri asks with a smile, "Maybe sew a new hat out of the old one, something better suited to those horns of yours." She doesn't catch herself, and reminds herself that Zachary only has one arm - sewing would be rather difficult for him. Laughing awkwardly, she holds out a hand. "I could possibly make something out of it for you. It just needs a little stitching, that's all." "You should come over sometime, and I'll play for you. I live in duplex 44 -- the top of this one here -- and I should be home for the most part. I've lost any desire to explore this place right now," she nods, leaning on the shovel sticking up from the ground. Kaveri lowers her voice to a whisper, and leans into Zach's ear so (hopefully) he's the only one to hear it. "We should do stuff to ******** with them," she suggests, "write 'notes' with complete and utter bullshit written on them, pass them around, and pretend they contain important stuff. If we can't escape, we might as well try to dupe 'em into thinking we are." She pulls back, resting an arm on her shovel with a smug grin and a laugh. Zachary Bloodstone "You've got a point there," he laughed, handing the hat back to her once again. "It didn't occur to me that this old thing could be fixed. I don't think I'd be any good at sewing, but if there's any other way I can help you..." He extended his hand a moment as though offering something material.
He nodded understandingly. She was new here, and it was probably quite a drastic change from whatever reality she had before coming. "Hey, sounds cool, maybe I'll drop by sometime this week."
Zach listened intently as she spoke at the barest level one could hear at. Her idea was clever, and it wouldn't be as hard to pull off as a fully fledged escape attempt. It was worth a try. Smirking widely, he dropped his voice as quietly as it could be to whisper back into Kaveri's ear. "Haha, it's worth a try. We could start whenever - I have paper and pen back at my duplex, number 38."
He straightened up and glanced at Kaveri, his yellow eyes full of purposeful malevolence for the doctors. He laughed, a little ruthlessly, at the thought of how simple their revenge could be. He and Kaveri would have the last laugh yet.
Kaveri Porter Kaveri takes the hat's remains, turning them in her hands and looking over it to get some ideas of what she could make out of it. "Everything can be fixed," she says, "a lot of people don't see that, though. One little thing goes wrong with something and it goes straight to the trash can, with no effort put into making it useful again. But no matter how harsh the damage, everything can be put back together. It's not like the key parts of something actually disappear if it falls apart, ya know?" She looks at the floppy ex-hat again, tucking half of it into her pocket so a part of it sticks out. "That'd be awesome if you came by to visit," she grins. Honestly, she doesn't know what's ahead of her - she's almost worried. Almost. If she weren't distracting herself from the inevitable, she'd be fretting like mad. "Awesome, I have some paper and paints back at my place. I'll write something to you later," she whispers back, "and slip it in under your door or something. Or hide it under a rock..." She, too, laughs at her brilliance. If this prank is successful, the sheer amount of chaos it would cause would be simply marvelous to behold. If you can't fight with your fists, fight with the intent of confusing the hell out of your enemy. Zachary Bloodstone "Hmm, I don't know if everything can be fixed," he mused aloud. "You've got a nice philosophy though, Kaveri. I guess life goes by too fast nowadays to think that clearly. But just look at us now - we've got all the time in the world here, at the cost of being human."
Zach looked over at her duplex building to better memorize where it was. He didn't know where anyone else's duplexes but his own and Rex's were, so it wouldn't be hard to keep track of Kaveri's as well. He'd drop something off by her house in a day or so. All in good time.
As Kaveri laughed, he remembered his purpose in coming outside in the first place. He'd been sidetracked, but it had been worth it. He turned to go back around the duplex, but looked over his shoulder. "I should probably get going... I'll see you around sometime, definitely. Good luck with your garden!" He slipped around the side of the building and returned to the tropical afternoon haze.
Kaveri Porter "I take life slowly, so I get the chance to see things that most other people don't," she grins, turning over her hand so her palm faces the sky. "It's a good philosophy to have, even around here -- while this island may be some doctor-controlled hellhole, we still have a tiny bit of freedom in that we're given a lot of spare time to do things for ourselves." Kaveri mentally notes Zachary's duplex number, and decides that she'll stop by sometime tomorrow and drop off a little note to get this thing rolling. It would be even better if she could get other islanders involved in this, but who could she trust not to leak her plans to those sick doctors? "Alright, seeya around!" Kaveri holds up a hand to wave good-bye, wearing a big grin on her face. "And thanks!" Once Zachary disappears around the corner of her duplex, Kaveri turns to the spot of ground she was pacing around before and starts digging again. Suddenly, this island got a little bit better.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 2:45 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
|
Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 7:27 pm
As with many of the other islanders at the cusp of the changes, your dreams that night are strange. Be they turbulent, nightmarish, overly realisitic, a vivid unpleasant memory from the past, or simply bizarre, they do not leave you well-rested. When you do wake up, it is to a pounding headache. Ever little noise seems to make the pain worse - even the blood pounding in your ears. Your throat is sore - as if there were a vice around your esophagus. It hurts to swallow and it feels as if you swallowed a boulder that got stuck somewhere along the way. Also, by the time you do wake, your nails have begun to change - growing long and thick and black, conical and tapering to sharp points. It might be with this that you realize that your condition is no flu or cold, but the onset of the Change that many of the islanders talk about in gravitous tones. But that's only the begining. The real pain begins as the flesh on your hands and feet feel like it starts to crawl, turning dry, being leeched of its color to a dingy, calloused grey. Your hands then begin to ache as your ring fingers swell before your eyes. It feels as if the bones were broken and the swelling seems to almost be pulling itself from the mass of your middle fingers, which atrophy, losing flexibility and fusing before your eyes marginally with the larger ring fingers. Your big toe also swells, lenthens and becomes more mobile on your foot. As this is occurring, a dull ripping pain begins at the base of your spine as your coccyx unfuses and pushes itself loose from your pelvis, pulling skin along with it. While the nub is only a few inches long by the end of it, it is rigid, and for the next few days even small touches are painful to the extreme - like a broken bone in the most inconvenient of places. While this is occurring, your eyes sting and burn, the whole sockets aching as the skin changes texture, your eyes sinking into your skull a bit. Your external ears also shrivel to some degree, but this change in cartilage is negligable compared to the other contortions your body is undergoing. It is then, however, that the sore throat, which had succeeded in adding insult to injury to this point as every time you would cry out from the pain of one change, your throat would strangle around your yell. Now, however, it feels as if it's being wrenched, pulled. Your whole frame shakes as centimeter by centimeter your neck lengthens. You can feel the vertebrae in your neck... splitting, each one fissuring down the center and separating with new cartilage that forms between them, forming two from each one. The process is... excruciating and likely severs you from the questionable benefits of consciousness, leaving you to the oblivious mercy of darkness. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:34 pm
Kaveri's dreamscape
The path to Paradise is grey.
A low, neutral voice echoes in Kaveri's mind. Everything is flat, barren, and grey, and suddenly, things begins to emerge from the ground. Jagged, curling rock formations reach up like snaggled teeth first, then smaller details come out of the crags.
Bone formations come next. Bleached, clean white bone formations of creatures of varying sizes and types rise from the ground or force themselves out of the curved rocks. And in the middle of this is Kaveri, standing in this strange, grey landscape of bone and rock. Before too long, two halves of a gigantic ribcage erupt from the ground around her, snapping together with a loud clattering noise. It effectively traps her, with no visible way out -- the domelike curvature of the bones brings to mind a bird cage.
The woman runs to the opposite end of the ribcage, hands on the bones and trying to squeeze her way out between the ribs to no avail. She cries out, shaking the bones and running around as the feeling of fear and isolation starts to sink in. Before too long, the landscape begins to recede -- the rocks, the bones, all but the cage has disappeared.
Remember Paradise.
And then, Kaveri is awake. Jolted out of sleep by a feverish sensation, she can feel her head throbbing, her throat constricting. She groans in pain, reaching up to rub at her forehead when she notices that there's something strange happening with her nails -- they are darkening, growing into wicked, curved talons. It takes her a moment to register this, holding her hand out in the early morning light to get a better look at it.
"Oh, <********>--" Now her hands are going grey! She yelps in surprise, scooting backwards in her bed and pressing her back against the wall as the color drains out of her skin, her two middle fingers merging together. Once this is realized, Kaveri throws herself out of bed in a flight reaction, landing on her two feet and holding her hands in front of her as she wheels across the room, clumsily tripping over her own big toes. She falls flat on her stomach, sprawled out on the floor. "Urrgh... What is this bullshit?!"
She squeezes her eyes shut, balling her hands into fists as the base of her spine starts ripping itself apart and even her face feels like it's on fire, not unlike the ever-familiar feeling of being sprayed by mace. Digging her talons into the palms of her hands to the point of bleeding, Kaveri tries to push herself up on her ********! What is this?!" Her chest starts heaving and the woman begins bawling from the pain of what's starting to happen to her neck. With each pop of her vertebrae, her cries get louder as her neck gets extended. It isn't even until the fifth or sixth vertebra pop that the pain becomes too much and she passes out, throwing her arms out straight as if to reach for something, her head landing on the wooden floor with a soft 'thud' as the world goes black around her. Parts of her are still twitching, and it is unknown when she will come to...
Needless to say, she's not going to be very happy when she returns to consciousness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:58 pm
I'm only sleeping
It had been several hours since Kaveri changed. Slowly, bit by bit, she is regaining consciousness from the spot where she laid on the floor sprawled out on her belly. The insides of her hands were caked with dried blood, and there was still a lingering, dull pain in her neck, head, and back.
One eye cracks open briefly. The world is blurry. She closes it again, groaning quietly and trying to lift her head as she straightens out her fingers so her claws aren't being pressed into her palms again. She didn't want to get up right now. She puts her head back down, stirring and clumsily folding her hands beneath her head.
"Mmn," Kaveri grunts, shifting in place as she rolls over on her side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 12:16 am
After using the intercom, Zach had found himself in a haze of disbelief and worry. No sooner had the conversation ended had he switched Kaveri's letter for his own and made a beeline to her duplex, marked by its telltale red bicycle. He hoped she was there - he needed to get his mind off of animals and transformations. She was, at the very least, human. It wouldn't be something she would talk about either.
Letter in hand, he rapped on her door with the back of his hand a couple of times, and waited, tail curling and uncurling behind him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 12:29 am
Oh, she's there alright... physically, at least. Mentally, not... quite.
Kaveri can hear the sound of footsteps ascending the outdoor steps, but the sound is magnified and reverberates in her head. Every creak of the wood sounds distant and hollow.
That's strange. Normally people don't come to visit. Forcing her eyelids open, she lifts her head again, pushing herself up on her elbows. Awkwardly sitting up, she reaches to rub at her eyes, instead blindly groping at her elongated neck. "Huh...?"
She can hear the knocking on the door, it echoes several times like the sound of footsteps. Her throat still burns a little, but she tries to get herself to stand up. "Wh-who's there?" Kaveri calls out hoarsely, taking an unbalanced step forward. "I'll be there in a minute..."
Each step feels immensely clumsy and slow with the added length of her big toes. Holding a hand out to the wall, she makes her way towards the door. She's still not all there and the edges of her vision are black and blurry, so she doesn't quite realize in entirety what had happened yet. Maybe this is all just a very convincing dream.
She opens the door with a crooked hand, staring tiredly out and wincing away from the light before looking down and seeing a familiar face. Oh man, was it just her or did he get shorter?
"Hey man," she greets blearily, her voice lacking the usual alert tone it carried. She gives a half-hearted wave.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 1:08 am
Zach heard a couple of strange noises from within the duplex, but thought little of them. It was only when the door opened that Zach was not met with the person he thought he would.
"Kaveri, you're - oh, ********!" The exclamation left his mouth thoughtlessly. Taking a careless step backward, he craned his head upward slowly, until he could find where Kaveri's face had disappeared to on top of her now elongated neck. He hadn't even noticed her odd fingers or toes. The long orange-tinged neck had taken all his attention.
Looking up that long started to hurt, so he brought his attention back down to discover the clawed and greyish hands and feet. Was this the worst of her changes? It looked painful. His eyes looked upward while his head stayed level. "Oh my god. Kaveri... are you okay?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 1:23 am
Nope, it still hasn't sunk in yet. At least, not to the point where it gets a reaction out of Kaveri other than exhausted half-interest - she'll get angry later since the pain has dulled her senses quite a lot right now. Now's the time to recoup and get her ducks sorted.
"Yeah, I feel like s**t," she affirms groggily, trying to rub her eyes but instead brushing her knuckles against the yellow-orange neck. "Just woke up... had a ******** dream. Pretty sure this is still the dream, but I'm not even sure anymore." She absently smacks her lips, clucking her ******** everything hurts," she grumbles bluntly, holding her hand out in front of her and trying to move her fused-together middle fingers. Damn, what did she do to her palms? They're covered in cuts and blood! "If I listed all the parts killing me right now, I'd keep you here all day. You don't think these ******** give out painkillers, do you?" She forces a smile, taking a step back and gesturing for Zach to come inside.
"But enough of my whining. What's on your mind, man?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
