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 Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:58 pm
Richard returned the chuckle. "You'd be surprised. I was blogger back before you were even in highschool. I play a mean minesweeper."
Richard's expression turned serious. "Something has been bother me though, I was hoping you could shed a little light on it."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:51 pm
The girl raised an eyebrow and frowned at the serious expression. She leaned a little forward and tilted her head. "Shoot."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:55 pm
Richard bit on his knuckle for a moment before answering, his face held in thoughtful frown. "What did Jamal used to be like?" He had to know if what they had seen in the jungle was his own future.
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:06 pm
"Uh..." She was puzzled and the question and moved a little back and forth in the water a moment. "Not so... animalistic. I think him removing the chip fried his brain...or something. He was... kind of 'gangsta' " Awen make quotations with her fingers. "But I mean in general he was a really nice guy..."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:13 pm
"Do you know any of the other feline islanders? Are they as bad off. You think Jamal's as bad as his due to his isolation? Or...." Richard trailed off, clearly disburbed by something. He looked down into the waters of Awen's duplex.
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:24 pm
"Um... there... I think is one other. But I talked to him sortly after I got here, I think he was mentally unbalanced to begin with. Multiple personalities and whatnot..."
Awen paused and smiled reassuringly to the older man. "I think it's just Jamal's special case. The isolation probably doesn't hurt his cat. Richard I think you'll be okay.... Like I said he was kind of the whole tough street stereotpye before the change, he had the tendencies in him probably. You're much different than him, you'll do much better."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:31 pm
Richard exhaled and shifted in his chair. "Sabin informed me that the felines were all eccentric in someway. And by eccentric I think he meant volient or insane. Maybe both. I've already done it." Guilt had crept into his face.
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:40 pm
The girl paused a moment wondering how to respond. All the cats she knew of were excentric but it's not specifcally because of the serum she didn't think.... but Richard has done something?
"What happened?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:51 pm
"I didn't realize it until hours afterwards." Richard continued to look down into the water. "I was sitting on my balcony just watching the village. And this little frog man, Newt I believe his name was, was hopping around. He was doing something with the trashcans. As I watch him, it some how got into my head the it would be fun to sneak on him." He turned to Awen. "Now do that sound like something I'd normally think of?"
He shook his head. "Well I did it. I sneak right behind him, shouted boo! and the sad little fellow leaps right into the wall. Head first." He bit his lip, "I thought it was funny."
"It just not something I'd thought I would do."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:58 pm
Oh no... poor Newt. That guy has it so rough! Awen frowned but she didn' really know what to say. She didn't think what Richard did was very nice, but she couldn't be mad because it was obviously not him. At the same time she couldn't give him advice because she'd never had such troubles, she and the manta ray for the most part had gotten along nicely.
The thin mouth opened and closed a few times as she was reaching for the words but none came and she simply shut her mouth. She wished she could help the old man.... Awen climbed from her tank and, without really thinking that she was sopping wet, she moved as quickly as her awkward feet would allow and wrapped the other islander up into a large hug.
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:21 pm
Richard's eyebrows shot up when Awen got out of the tank and advanced towards him. He felt his the hairs on the back of his neck rise. "Awen?"
He almost moved to defend himself but just managed to stay his hand but he clearly beared his teeth right before Awen wrapped herself around him. He stiffened as the soaking wet wings enveloped him. "What?" Confusion trembled though his voice.
Eventually, slowly and unsure of himself his arms wrapped around Awen's rubbery figure and he returned the gesture. He blinked to fight back tears. She was wet and the water was cold as it soaked through his clothing but it still felt warm.
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:28 pm
Awen really didn't know what to say still as she just held the old man close. It was so sad to see him like this, the bared fangs were not lost on her which made her hold all the tighter. For awhile, choked in sadness for her friend she stayed silent.
It was only some time later that she pulled back, still holding onto his shoulders and looked into his oddly lucid eyes. "You are a good person." Through the pain of her expression there also came such a sincere confidence that she was correct. "It's not you that's doing it. I don't know exactly how to help... manta rays are fairly passive... but I am here always. For support, comfort, hugs, a good talk. I'm here Richard and I won't let you go! You too damned good of a person to loose because of these experiments. I will stay with you, you don't have to be alone. I will do what I can to help."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:46 pm
Richard smiled sadly, "Thanks." His shirt was soaked through, clearly showing the outlines of his binding. "I'm just not sure about that. Everything is changing. Everything." He looked down at his chest and grimaced. "It wasn't the beast, it was me. I'm different. I think I can watch myself now. I'm aware of it." The weight of his change seemed to be crushing him at the moment, even the tentacles had dropped to the floor. "But after the next change will I aware of it? Its so subtle. How much of me will be left after the fourth time? Thats what I worry about."
He looked up at Awen. "Maybe I'm over reacting." God he hoped he was.
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:55 pm
Awen bowed her head and thought on his heavy words. She wasn't quite sure the answers to them herself at the moment. She sighed softly and slowly looked back up. Also managing to notice the bindings but she wouldn't dare comment on that right now. Nothing Awen hadn't seen before anyway, she had gae him a good splash near his change, it was just uneven weight loss, it happened sometimes.
"Maybe a little... but you're worried and the fact that you are worried is important. Because you feel it and well that makes it valid. You'll be left Richard.... I'll make sure of it." She nodded definately and gave her friend a big smile.
"I will watch you. I will make sure you don't go too far down that road. I will help you keep your humanity Richard, that kindness that I feel from you... well it may be a little selfish on my part too because I don't want to let that kindness go. You have such wonderful ideas of the island and a community... I want to help that ideal as much as possible. If that means helping you out then I will. Now come, please smile, it will be okay."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:07 pm
Richard obliged with a sad smile. "Well I have at least two months left of being a grumpy old man. No sense worrying about it now. I've got work to do." He rose. "Thanks, your optimism helps, I hope you can hold onto that."
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