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((Trying out a slightly different backstory and personality for Ryan. I figured I could add it here without changing how he''s acted so far.))

Ryan decided Noah's depressing attitude was pissing him off. It wasn't as though he didn't feel sympathy for him, but Ryan didn't want the guy's poor attitude dragging himself down as well. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that life isn't fair. You know that at the time, coming here was probably the best thing that could've happened to me? I'm not saying this is the highlight of my life, but it's certainly better than what my life was turning out to be."

"Geez, both of you were geneticists? I guess that's one way of getting rid of the competition. I guess, technically, you are working for Feral right now, Michel." It may not have been what they wanted to hear, but it was funny to Ryan, and that's what mattered to him. Boo on them if they couldn't take a joke.

"Food sounds good to me at the moment. I could use a snack." Roxie falling over brought immeadiate concern from Ryan. "Hey, are you sure you're okay? Do you need any help back to your duplex?"

Noah was still sitting in the same place, playing with the sand, inwardly regretting making the comment about how one felt ill before the change. it was true though- the sickness came before the pain. How long did it take? He didn't remember. Maybe it varied anyways...

Maybe she was just sick. Maybe she wouldn't change. Maybe she'd get lucky, and this would turn out to be attributed to just stress.

Maybe.

He glanced uneasily at the fox for a moment. Something to eat...would be good. Wasn't it nearly suppertime? Maybe food would help distract them. that was how some people coped...by eating. Why the hell not? They were turning into animals anyways. Not like they had to worry about their figure or anything.

Watching Serenity get up and fall back again, Noah instinctively began to reach out...but he stopped himself and pulled his arm back. She probably didn't want him touching her with his mice-claws. He chattered his teeth uneasily, giving her a worried look. Oh, she shouldn't be out here. She should go lay down...

"Are...you okay, Miss Roxie?" he asked tentatively.

He listened to Ryan and sighed. Better than what life was becoming...how bad had his life been? He resisted the urge to ask, and instead looked away at the ground.

His life...hadn't been that great. It had been monotonous at best. Work, go home, and then back to work the next day. But it was better than turning into an animal, right? He didn't know now. Damn, he was confused. he had come to the beach to think about these sort of things and clear his head...

He winced at the joke. He wasn't in a light-hearted mood, but he didn't feel like snapping at anyone. What was the point. He chuffed a bit and then looked at Ryan, forcing a wan smile.

"I...I guess so..." he mumbled in agreement. He didn't think he had qualified as 'competition,' but then again, he didn't think he was gonna turn into an animal either.

"Ja...ja, food vould be good." he finally decided.

There were two options available to her. Either take one of the boy’s offer…or try to make it out on her own and risk the chance of falling down from dizziness and well…best not to dwell too much on the second option. Funny, she was acting like the damsel in distress and every guy available--or near her--was trying to be the hero by offering his services. Its not that she didn’t appreciate the offers but…they were still strangers after all. From chatting a few minutes didn’t mean they all were friends with sunshine buttercups and such.

Roxie was leaning more towards asking one of them for help back to her duplex but thanks to Bing, she wondered if that would be better. Of course she would be alone which wasn’t a bad or good thing. Good because she was typically a b***h when sick but bad because she wouldn’t have anyone around to explain what in God’s name was happening to her body. Then again If she went along then she would require assistance. And of course the final option was just lying there on the sand, wait for high tide and possibly drown…lacking a forth option really did suck right about now.

“On second thought…I’ll go. My stomach is feeling better…just the headache and chills.” Okay lie there, her stomach was still doing flip-flops but at least she didn’t say anything about being dizzy…which of course that symptom was still around. Inhaling deeply did Roxie try to keep her illness from getting the other’s down she imagine herself about to go on stage. Even illness couldn’t stop a show…maybe a broken leg but certainly not a cold! Trying again, she slowly rose albeit a bit wobbly but managed to stand on her own two feet. Her eyes remain lock on the floor to spot in order to keep the dizziness at bay. A weak smile graced her lips, hopefully convincing the boys she was doing better. “See? Getting a bit better…” She said somewhat happily, maybe she was trying to convince herself more than the others of her health.

Hopefully on the little journey to get food--from where she didn't know--would she not fall over and have a interview with the floor.

"Oh, okay." Michel was actually quite relieved that no one would have to take Roxie back to her duplex - it would be nicer to have everyone he just met come, in stead of going to get something to eat with the knowledge that someone was sick in their duplex. "You know Roxie," Michel said casually, "If you're wondering, the cafeteria has more than just bugs. They have a lot of regular food for the newcomers, although most of us feel partial to something other than a cheeseburger now."

With that, he abruptly switched directions to face Bing and gave a salute, his wings fanning out behind him. "To the cafeteria, sir!"

Bing gave the vulpine equalvilant of a shrug.

"You'll just know." He said simply to Noah, navigating through the forest, "That little voice in your head will just bother you to do some weird stuff, like eat bugs, pretty tasty actually."

The fox leapt over a stray rock in the path and kept moving, to a outside observer, the group looked like they just came out of a scene from "Where the Wild things are" Except, they weren't monsters. Just strange looking people.

Strange... Bit of an understatement, don't you think? Bing shrugged that off too, he didn't really care what he looked like anymore anyway.

"I think," Ryan said in answer to Noah's question, "that most of the different food craving start after your first change. But mice are fairly omnivorus, aren't they? I know I am now; I'll eat just about anything."

It was strange, to talk about his new behaviors and habits like this. Actually having it happen to you was enough. Being confronted by it and openly admitting it was something else. Complete acceptence of what had happened to him was what it was. Odd, but it didn't carry any negative connotations with it. It just was.

He'd...just know? Was it that easy? He wasn't very good at listening to himself, so what if he missed the signs? Noah figured cravings for odd things like meat or bugs weren't as easy to miss, but as Ryan pointed out, mice were normally omnivorous so maybe...it would be easy to miss the signs.

He figured there was no use worrying though. Both Bing and Ryan seemed confident he'd know for sure when it was time.

"O-okay...zhank you." he said to both of them.

Maybe that was what the cravings were. The wanting to eat more grains, bread, and such. Some pasta, if the cafeteria had it, didn't seem too bad, actually. Maybe some nice whole-wheat bread, and some fruits too. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until he really thought about food. Funny how things worked out like that.

Part of him wanted to drop back again and bring up the rear, but as he glanced over his shoulder, he noticed Roxie had fallen back. He wondered if she was okay, but it seemed more...deliberate. She probably didn't want to be bother. He sighed and tried to keep up with the main group...not like he had much of a choice anyways. It made him nervous though-- he never liked all-male groups. They made him so uneasy. He chattered his teeth nervously, ears drooping slightly. He was sure they were all nice people-- except maybe the fox. He didn't much trust something that pounced him and tried to eat him. But he bet that inside, they all were nice. But he couldn't explain the nervousness and anxiety he felt. Just another stupid quirk, he thought to himself.

The smell of food filled Ryan's long nose as well, and he nearly gave in to the impulse to simply stand at the buffet and dig his snout in. He held himself back, but just barely.

Bing made him chuckle a bit. "Hey, no dogs on the table."