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 Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 1:09 pm
Any fire that he wanted to vent onto Richard to make her look like the monster she acted around himself was cut short. He snapped his neck up at the mention it was Awen and not the feline who’d instigated this matter to another level. He wouldn’t berate his friend. He couldn’t. He wasn’t even certain what could be ascertained from what she’d just said. His head swam as it began to hurt with an oncoming headache.
A sigh, then he brushed back his long, flowing hair. He didn’t know where to progress from here. It would have been so much simpler to use Richard as a means to execute his hostilities, but Awen.. she really was a part of this now. It.. this situation had escalated because of a comment Awen had made? He just didn’t know how to process this information. It was confusing that she had a hand in this matter.
Jordan gave her a wounded look. He did feel betrayed by her intervention into the matter, now having a better understanding of why Richard was becoming so much more fanatical about this. “It’s no longer just about me.” he couldn’t hold back anymore. “That piece of garbage chastises me for having worked for Moreau for only a year, when he/she/it worked for Feral far longer than I had some thirty years before me. How is Richard a better person and worthy of absolution for having connections to Feral, when she hunts me down and terrorizes me for information that’s only going to get us all killed?” he tried to contain his anger at the injustice of it all, not wanting to scare Awen, but that was a difficult task when mentioning the displacer beast. “You once told me that there were no factions, that it was just ‘us’ as a community. Richard has an agenda of her own now and is using people at her disposal. Richard is operating on a faction of her own and damned the consequences. If it kills us all, she’ll have her answers only to prove what? A futile point? She is not better than Moreau. She is the same as him.”
Jordan took a moment to calm himself. “Richard is a loose cannon and I’m worried for your own safety, Awen. As long as you value her so highly, you're in danger of falling prey to that beast.”
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 1:27 pm
Awen closed her eyes and took a breath. Why does everyone treat her like such a child? All the time, when she tries to talk seriously to an islander about something she's always beeing swayed, influenced. She is always dragged into something, or influenced and pushed by someone else. She was always being led around, Richard with his investigation, Sabin with his loyalties and now Jordan. Was she such a fool? So naive as everyone seems to think?
"I am not a child!" She said finally as she opened her eyes. "I'm not being lead around into some death trap by Richard. I am doing this because I don't think it's right Jordan. I'm terrified of what is going to happen to us once Moreau is done with his experiments. When he's gathered all the data he wants, when he's finished his loyalty experiments." She moved closer to the dog-man. "What do you think will happen once he's done? He's just going to keep the island open, spending millions of dollars to keep people away, to feed us, keep us in our nice duplexes, importing everything we need?" Slowly keeping her eyes on the man she shook her head. "When the experiment is over all the lab rats die."
"This isn't Richard's words. These are mine. I'm not being swallowed by any beast but Moreau. This has gone beyond Richard and his silly suspisions. Sabin is afraid, Jordan. Sabin. You know, Moreau's right hand man?" She huffed. "And you can't begin to tell me this is at all right or ethical. It's a loyalty serum, mind control Jordan. One that actually works. You can't tell me that Moreau made this is just for you. Just for us subjects? You can't be so naive."
"Jordan, I'm talking to you not because I want to help Richard research. It's because I am ******** terrified. I am worried about you, now. I'm worried about everyone for later."
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 2:03 pm
He was taken aback by the sudden outburst, loosing his balance as he splashed backwards into the water. Had he said something wrong? “I didn’t say you were. I’m just looking out for you, dammit! I don’t want you getting hurt, okay?! It’s still alright to show concern for someone you care about, isn’t it?” he growled in frustration and smashed a fist into the water as he diverted his gaze from her only momentarily. Jordan fell silent, though. Moreau wouldn’t kill them off, would he? Of course not! They were all-too valuable to simply dispose of wastefully.
He was speechless, allowing her to rant uninterrupted for a lack of anything intelligent to say. Jordan was naïve, though. That’s what got him into so much trouble. Still, what she was saying about global applications still seemed crazy. Moreau had hand-selected him to be here as a test subject, as a means of research. He would be spared such a horrible fate, no? To survive a near-death mauling only to be ‘downsized’? “Some people need to be controlled. Jamal, Annie, anyone else who poses an immediate threat to us and the well-being of everyone on this island.” The irony of that statement had flown over his head as he was immediately thrust into that category as he was the first recipient of the loyalty serum. “I almost died because of a homicidal madman half-tiger! If I have to be used as a guinea pig so that people like that can be controlled, so be it.” Jordan clenched his jaw, grating his fangs with agitation. Why was she so stubborn and unwilling to see this had beneficial applications?! And certainly she wasn’t alone in this view.
Jordan knew he could trust Awen and he believed her that she wasn’t here on Richard’s behalf. “I’m scared too, but what can I do about any of this? I’m just Moreau’s dog. I’m not becoming some predatory creature that can stand it’s ground in a battle. If this matter progress the way it has been, then I’m afraid we may be on the verge of a civil war upon the island that will claim casualties. I’m sorry that it’s scared you. If I’ve scared you. I don’t want to see innocent people hurt over this. All of the others who don’t know about the loyalty serum and who can’t know for their own safety.”
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 2:21 pm
Awen stared in shock and horror at what Jordan was saying. How could he even suggest such a...?
"There wouldn't be a madman half-tiger if it wasn't for Moreau! Jamal wasn't such a bad guy before all that tiger s**t started to mess with his mind! And Annie. Dear lord Jordan! She was the sweetest girl you ever would have met! She was kind, caring and never did anything to hurt anyone. But because of Moreau she is a feral beast roaming the jungle. They wouldn't need to be controlled if it weren't for that real mad-man's damned experiments! So don't you dare use them as examples of what needs to be controlled. Yes for our safety now something has to be done but it was Moreau who put us in such a situation to begin with! They were not bad people, they didn't need to be controlled!"
Her breathing was becoming very laboured at this point. She was getting too worked up to be above water. Just sitting in it wasn't good enough if she was still breathing air, she needed to feel the water pass through her gills again.
"YOU ARE NOT MOREAU'S DOG! You are a human being Jordan, not a pet! You deserve better than this. I don't care what he's been telling you or doing to you. You deserve better than this. And everyone of those islanders... who are going about their business oblivious to what's happening do not deserve their freedom further squashed. There may not be much we can do Jordan.... but this is wrong. Can't you see that?"
She huffed again and shook her head. "I loved my transformation. I enjoy my abilities, they are gifts. I see the medical application to these experiments, I understand their usefullness. But there are willing test subjects for this sort of thing. For god's sake go into the furry community and get voluenteers. Don't pray on people with little other choice, don't trick people into spending their life savings on it. Don't hurt the family's of those left behind. Jordan, I may accept the transformations, I may understand those. But there is no reason for a mind control serum. There are other methods of control, there are other ways to keep people safe. This has a grander, shadier application."
At this point the poor girl began practically hyperventilating. She took in too deep and too quick of breaths. Her webbed hand came up to her throat as she tried to make herself breathe. "This.... isn't...right..." Tears came to her eyes as she struggled for breath.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 2:52 pm
He’d just had his a** handed to him on a silver platter. There was no defense, no retort to what she had said. He didn’t even have the time to apologize once again when Awen was looking green in the gills, as it were.
s**t. Something was wrong with her! After that lengthy vent, she was looking like she was in pain. Their shouting match was going nowhere fast and taking its toll on his aquatic friend. She was crying for God’s sake! Awen’s breathing was scaring him and he paddled to her side desperately. The hand at her throat was a universal sign for ‘can’t breathe’ indicating there was a good chance that she couldn’t breathe.
“Awen! Shitshitshit!” he repeated the profanity in urgent concern as he had no time to think about what could be done to help her. “Don’t die on me! I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” He blathered as he had to quickly act. He was suddenly brought back to the moment of her last change when she dove into the water. She needed deeper water? That had to be it!
“Awen! We need to get you to deeper water!” damn his broken, non-functioning legs. This was life and death here! Jordan cried in pain as he willed his body to move. He grabbed her arm, pulling her closer to the where the river diverged into the lake. He had to save her at any risk. Swimming one-armed was a difficult task and harder considering he was trying to move against the flow with one arm. He bit his bottom lip and hissed through his teeth. His futile attempt was just that. Futile and tiring for his healing body. “Won’t… let you.. diiie..” he huffed between words as he tried harder to push against the flow. His head was bobbing below the water's surface as he struggled to push his body.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 3:02 pm
"I'm...not...." She tried to say but then Jordan gripped her arm and started to struggle to get into deeper waters. Awen struggled against him, he couldn't go out there he can't swim with his legs as they were! She had to do something or he'd drown.
Twisted her body so that she was facing him on her back Awen put her flippers onto the dog's chest. With a mighty heave she pushed him away from her, hard, back towards the shallow water where he could sit upright. While at the same time pushing herself further into the depths.
She shot through the water letting the water rush through her gills, letting air back into her system. She cursed herself and she damned body. This wasn't the proper way to end a debate. But she needed to make sure he knew she was okay. She pushed herself to the surface.
"I'm okay." She said with a small wave. "I'm not dying...just a tad hard to breath."
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 11:30 pm
It had happened so quickly. He was trying to figure it out as he regained his own breath. Damn, Awen’s a lot stronger than she looks! At first it felt like he was sinking and then he was spun around so quickly and ontop of the manta. He’d gasped a bit, holding onto her as Awen had placed her flippers upon his chest. Jordan wasn’t sure what was going on. He was a bit puzzled about what she was doing and offered a nervous grin. That’s when he was catapulted away from her without a moment’s notice, gasping as he felt the wind knocked from him.
Jordan splashed back into the shallows, shaking his head out, all that cascading wet hair flinging back and forth as he did. A paw wiped away some of the water that had splashed across his face to see that Awen was safely on the other side.
He waved back gently, settling back into the shallow side. “That makes twice I’ve tried to save you.” Jordan said with a grin. It was an attempt to break the tension.
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Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 2:02 pm
"I'm a big girl, Jordan." She chuckled. "I'm capable of saving myself every now and again, eh?"
Shaking her head she sighed. "I don't think I should stay above water for much longer... We'll have to continue... or discontinue our discussion later. Give me a minute more of swimming around and I should be able to take you back to your duplex.... but that's about it for now I'm afraid."
Indeed the manta needed to stay in the water. Their argument had grown too heated and she needed to swim and clear her head and lungs.
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Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 2:30 pm
He smiled softly to her, nodding to her retort, but the smile melted into a sag when Awen announced that she needed to leave. Jordan gave a huffing breath as well, thinking that may not be such a bad idea. Their argument had come close to physical blows. Jordan’s energy was fading as well. The meds took the edge of the pain, but his healing body didn’t have the stamina it used to. The shouting, the heated emotion was making him feel weak, so he remained sitting in the shallows to reduce exertion.
“Awen, before you go…” he rolled his neck to the left and scratched at an itch behind his ear “whatever happens… no matter what… please take care of yourself.” He looked down to the water where he caused ripples with a paw. “I’ve been fighting the foreign canine DNA for weeks now, trying to retain my humanity. I’m afraid I’ll lose my humanity if my willpower falters. I can’t change what’s happened to me, but you’ll always be my friend, no matter what.”
They say you hurt the ones you love the most, friends included. Jordan was becoming afraid that if lost himself to the animal that was consuming him, he’d no longer be able to differentiate such boundaries of friend and enemy. Awen’s dedication to the disclosure of the loyalty serum was a threat to him and everyone involved.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 5:21 pm
"Jordan..." She said softly and swam closer to the dog. She smiled and reached out to touch his cheek with a webbed hand. "You're a friend. I'm worried about you, but no matter what happens you're still my friend."
Her smiled twitched larger for a moment before she withdrew away from teh dog. "Now I'll be back in a few minutes, then we'll get you back to your wheelchair and to the safety of your duplex. Alright?"
Without another thought she dove under the water. Once under her smile disappeared. As much as she valued their friendship... he was dangerous. Should he betray her to something aweful she would have to remind herself that the person who did that would no longer be her friend, no longer be Jordan. She'd always be Jordan's friend, but not the friend of the pet that he would potentially become.
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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:18 pm
He smiled as she swam close enough to touch his cheek. Jordan felt reassured by her words; though; Richard was poisoning Awen’s mind. “We’ll get through this.” Jordan hugged her, hoping that they could get through it if it came down to confronting one another on less-than-friendly terms, if he could no longer distinguish her as a friend for her actions.
“I’ll be right here.” He gave a smartass response, as if he could really go anywhere on his own, grinning from ear-to-ear.
When she dove under the water, he sighed, rubbing his temples. His big paw would hide the disappointment on his face. This could have progressed better, but at least no vital information was disclosed. Even if she proclaimed this inquisition was for her own knowledge, he couldn’t help but feel a tugging at his heartstrings. Jordan didn’t want to hurt someone he cared about. That, of course, may not be a choice Jordan can avoid..
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