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How Awen remained so sunny was probably one of the great mysteries of the universe. He gave a bit of a chuckle. "Its alright. I'll remember to bring my bathing suit next time." Richard was almost regretful that she hadn't picked up on the other aspect of his transformation. Still it was better not to talk about such things.

"I'll let you get back to your game." Richard started to move toward the door.

"See you soon." Richard nods and then exits.

Then he realizes that with his shirt soaking anyone can see his bindings. Richard books it back to his duplex. Hoping nobody sees him.

It had been a day since his little visit to Kikue's and the realization that Kikue was no longer around had left him rather drained and depressed. He had returned the night before to the cafeteria taking his spot in the far back corner wrapped up in his hoodie.

It was in that exact spot he was this morning now, half asleep and rolling around slightly mumbling to him self asking questions that made no sense as half the words came out as gibberish.

Awen had originally came into the cafeteria to grab a little bite to eat; after all there are few other reasons why one would venture into the place of food. Once the girl saw a shaking, muttering lump in a corner she abandoned her search for sustinance.

"Hey, uh, buddy? Are you alright?"

Miller rolled again the other way, in his mind he saw Kikue running and shadows looming out around her, and him self as he chased her suddenly they closed in causing the boy to jerk about in fright.

It didn't help he could hear a voice in his half sleep state. Suddenly he say up eyes cracking open with a yelp as Awen's face appeared as a blurry white and blue mess. "Eh wuz? Wuz Iz fine..."

"Woah, woah." She held up her hands in a non-threatening manner at the yelp, though with her wing-fins it might seem more imposing than she wanted.

She tried to smile, but it was awkward. "Seriously, are you okay? Um... you weren't seeming to good....."

Miller shivered again slightly clearing the last of his bad dreams away. "Wuh ummz I'mz juzt havinz bad dreamz ya knowz?" He frowned wipeing sleep from his eye, "Whyz youz askin?"

The manta ray gave a soft chuckle and a well meaning smile. "Well because most people don't sleep in the cafeteria..." She held out her hand to shake. "My name's Awen. I was just a little worried, you weren't looking so great."

While the polite smile was welcome his face turned in to a dark scowl. He sat up a bit straighter putting the hoodie on more properly. "Yahz well iz wouldntz be sleepinz herez becausez mozt peoples bez livinz in duplexzs and I don'tz have onez!" He curled up a bit more, "Meh namez Miller..."

Awen's face contorted into a confused frown. Slowly settling herself to sit across the table from Miller the woman tried to reason this out. "The labs never assigned you a duplex?"

Miller shook his head sighing, he really didn't want to explain this whole thing it made him feel, and literately look like an idiot. "I haz a duplex... butz I gotz locked outz cuz of Antonyz 'prank' and I've been sleepinz here for a whilez..."

"Antony's prank?" Awen frowned, the girl seemed unamused but not surprised at the notion. "Honestly... this is too far, putting someone out of their duplex..." She shook her head and stopped that line of thought before it went to far.

"I don't know why the labs wouldn't have had that fixed....but, uh, hey if you need a place to crash... my place is open. I'll grab some blankets and pillows... I don't really have a bed or anything for you, but lots of blankets could be kind of like a thin matress or something." She bit her lip and laughed a little self consciously. "Oh, that is assuming no one else had offered. I mean if you want your own space that's understandable."

"She gluezd stuff all overz me door and the lock... and nowz I can't get back in mah duplex..." He sighed sadly rubbing his beak as she offered him a place to stay.

"I only havez two friends here... wellz only onez reall good onez. But shez been awayz for whilez so yah... no placez to go." he sighed, did Kikue leave? Was she taken?

Awen was still a little worried about the state things are in with the man's duplex. She sighed and shook her head hearing the details. "Well, if you want, my duplex is open."

Closing her eyes and took a deep breath. "This is dumb though, I could call in to get the door fixed for you... hopefully if everything goes well you should have your duplex back in a number of days!" She hoped anyway.

Miller nodded quietly, "Yesz, a duplexz would be nicez." He got up slowly stretching him self out. "Youz tellin me, she'z nuts." He tilted his head, his own duplex back finally? "Never thouhtz to usez some onez intercomz at there duplexz..."

The girl chuckled a little bit. "Well, you seem to be kinda new... things like that just come with experience." Awen gave a small knowing smile. "I'll get some blankets and pillows for you.... I guess I'll leave the 'plex unlocked until you get yours back..."

Leaning back Awen stretched slightly furthering her plans. "Oh yeah, I'm in Special Duplex #1. Soo... it's one of the aquatic duplexes by the lake. It had a dry area, don't worry, and I have video games if you're bored."

Miller shrugged, "Iz been aroundz a bit ya know?" he pointed to the beak and feathers all along the back of his neck. "I'llz help carry zome stuffz back with youz."

His head tilted, special aquatic duplex? She did look like one of those strange fishy things, sting rays maybe? Or something close. "Yeh gotz video gamez? Now wez talking!"

Awen chuckled at his beak tapping. She wasn't about to say it outloud.. but the first change, though a milestone, wasn't being around for very long at all. She smiled and stood up. "The help would be welcome, and I can show you the place...."

Grinning as she waited for the man to follow. "Sooo you like video games huh? How does a brand new PS3 sound?"

Miller shrugged at the chuckling and started to make his way towards the door waiting for Awen to take the lead so he wouldn't get lost on the way to gather the blankets. "Yeh dangz rightz I likez video gamez!"

The boys eyes went wide, "Allz I gota askz, iz if the labz paid for it, because if they did thatz there lost and our gainz. Shitz I needz to order a Wii then..."

"What's the Wii?" Awen started towards the main town place to get the blankets and little extras. She'd been in so long Awen knew the Wii under it's code name Revolution.

"I think the labs paid for it..." Awen gave a small grin. She wondered if Sabin took it out of his own pocket, or if it was the lab's expenses. "I think they have taken money from my bank account for the 360, though. But the PS3 was a Christmas present."

Miller raised his eyebrow curiously, "Yuz gota P'ES three butz youz don't knowz what Wii iz? Iz da Nintendo zystem dat came out aroundz when Iz got taken herez."

Miller nodded recalling the one lab person making him pay for Kikue's present and nearly spending all his remaining money in the process. "Wellz letz see diz aquaticz duplex?"

"Oh! You mean the Revolution?" If Awen had a nose to wrinkle it certainly would now. "Wii, huh? Kinda like when they changed the Dolphin to the Game Cube... but the Cube was so much better than the Wii." She laughed and glanced over at Miller as she arrived and was getting the extra materials to make Miller a nice little bed-away-from-home.

"Thing with Sony is they generally don't change their name two or three times before launch date." She shook her head and chuckled, handing miller the blankets while she took the pillows.

Turning to leave again she gave a softer smile. "Ah, let's...." As she started dow nthe path to her duplex.

Miller nodded, "Ze name meanz Wii az in anybody canz play it." He shrugged, "Who carez whatz da name iz so longz it's fun right?" He held out his arms taking the blankets from her.

"Zony juzt addz the next numberz on it datz about it." He chuckled and started to follow her down the path kicking rocks with his bare feet, "So uhh... wutz it likez being all... fizhy?"

Awen's skin, even as he asked, was noticibly dry. Little bits were already flaking off, and if Miller would pay close enough attention he would hear a slight weezing in the manta ray's breath.

"Yeah, well, at least with Sony ya always know what comes next." She chuckled, but even then she surpressed a slight cough.

Closing her eyes she tried to focus on her breathing. She didn't answer his fish question right away so she just took a slow breath in. Her steps were heavy and she had to concentrate. In, out, in, out... just like you always have Awen. Glancing over her shoulder the girl smiled at the man. "It's interesting.... You'd never imagine the wonders under the water my friend..."

Letting out a close consentrated breath she looked up at the sky. "But as everything good it comes with a price, eh?"

Miller did notice a bit of a weezing, he didn't put much thought behind it though, being out on an island like this or living 'underwater' could easily lead to sickness.

"Yupz, zome dayz we gona be oldz and playinz the new Playstationz sixty fourz!" He gave a bit of a grin as she looked back with a smile. "I always thoughtz the sea waz coolz. So many colorz and stuff."He tilted his head slightly, "Wez paying lotz of prices herez and I don'tz see much pay offz."

Awen piled the pillows in one hand and spread her arm out briefly. "Fresh air, sunshine, tropical island! A gettaway meant for kings." She smiled as she finally saw her duplex and just beyond it the crystal clear lakefront shinning in the sun.

"Just wait until your wings grow..." Awen shuffled the pillows back to holding them comfortably. "I bet the sky is just as amazing as the water..." Pushing the door of her duplex open she stepped inside. "You know, I've always wanted to fly..."

Pausing to flip on a light switch, Awe set the pillows down on the table and showed the bird her duplex, halfway through with what would normally be more floor was the pool that led to the lake. "Home sweet home.... you can keep yourself on the dry side," She pointed to her intercom. "Call for your door to be fixed, help yourself to the entertainment center, and snack drawer..... my home is yours my friend."

Miller chuckled and nodded in agreement, "Yez the island iz indeed lovely onez you getz past ze factz that werez turningz in to animalz."

He shivered at the thought of wings, would that be as painful as feathers? "I hatez to burzt your bubblez butz featherz are... painful... to growz and wingz will be not muchz better..." He followed Awen in looking around the duplex his mouth makeing a small o shape of wonder as he took in the PS3 and 360 sitting in the room and the pool leading to the lake. "So howz one geta duplex like diz? Iz gota indoor pool!" Okay bad joke but he was trying to be optimistic after all he finally had a place to call home again.

Awen laughed and shook her head, for the moment not getting ot the wings comment. "I'm afraid you have to grow gills to get one of these babies. After all it's a liability issue, your tossing and turning trying to sleep and splash into the pool your go! Why, you could drown! And the labs wouldn't want that, no, no. So I'm afraid aquatics only get these special duplexes."

After the bird was in and everything was starting to get settled Awen turned and looked the boy in the eye. "Accept it." She said suddenly, bluntly. "You are turning into an animal, there isn't anything you can do to stop it. Even if you could there are risks of cancer and god knows what else if the changes are delayed. I've heard for the islanders that have accepted this fact, accepted the changes they aren't as bad. It's hard.... believe me turning into a fish was not always such a wonderous thing for me. I came to the island afraid of water, Moreau had promised I would be able to swim like I was born to it by the end of my therapy. He was right. I may not have had the pain of growing feathers... but please do not think I didn't suffer. The mental anguish had me block out most of the physical pain.... transforming for the first time underwater, thinking I was going to drown." She paused before adding in the 'like my parents' part and simply sighed. "I know it's hard to accept, and I'm not discounting your pain, feathers seem like they'd be horrendous, but I think maybe accepting it... helps. It eases the mind so the body doesn't fight as much."

She sighed and chuckled before setting into a coughing fit. Wavering on her feet she glanced longingly at the pool of water before forcing herself to look back at Miller. "I don't mean to preach... just trying to give some advise. Make things a little.. less painful maybe...? Anyways, feel free to whatever in the room... I.. I need to get back into the water though... if you.. don't mind really. You'll be fine here, right?"

"Thatz not fairz! They could put likez a fence aroundz it so I don'tz fall in!" He joined in with the laugh but as soon as he laughed the mood changed.

He sat down on his make shift bed, a pile of blankets and pillows frowning as she explained more of her own story about the island and how people simply accepted this. It was still rather new to him and while seeing others like this was acceptable the thought of feathers bursting from his back, let alone the forming of wings did little to comfort him. "I didn'tz fightz... I don'tz think... I juzt rememberz it hurtingz, and thenz crying... and Ki-kuez was crying too I think..." he sighed as well falling back to lay on his blankets. He didn't bother to fight the point, he didn't want to accept it but she may be right, and soon he wouldn't have a choice, not like he had one now either.

"It's alrightz, I've heards same theoriez from otherz... It makez zense its just hard to get uszed too." He sat up tilting his head and nodded, "Yah I'll be finez..."

Awen slowly sat down by the edge of the pool and gave a long sigh. "Listen, the first change no one ever accepts, the second change no one wants to accept. From what I know we have four changes.... by then most people at least accept it. Most don't like it. Try to find the good in things, no matter how hard. And it is hard."

She slipped her feet into the cool water and the temptation to dive in grew, but for the moment she resisted. "Milly, if you want ignore what I've said. Get your duplex back and do what you will with the rest of it. Live your life as you see fit. Keep your friends close, they are the true key. This...girl? you spoke of.... she sounds like a friend, crying for your changes... good friend."

Putting a webbed hand to her forehead Awen found it was getting harder and harder to concentrate. "Uh...whatever. Just enjoy the games, and don't save over any of my current files!" Without anything else she slipped into the water. She wouldn't be going very far, just to the bottom of the pool in her duplex. She just needed to be in the water for now, but didn't want to be far from Miller right now. Just in case.

Miller rubbed his beak slowly as Awen mentioned the changes, only four of them? In those 4 changes he would be covered in feathers. Would he even be used to it by the 4th one?

"Iz not wantinz to ignore you..." he sighed before continuing, "Itz juzt that therez a lot on meh mind..." He looked over frowning as she seemed to get a bit worse outside of the water as they spoke. "I'll explainz everythingz latter and I promize I won't savez over nothingz, birdyz honor."

Miller shuffled towards Awen's duplex rubbing the area just below his snake bite with a sigh. His whole arm felt misserable as did his rib. To top it all off the image of Emer and Kikue's dead bodies kept flashing through his mind.

A few minutes latter he found him self at Awen's knocking on the door, he could have gone in since Awen had promised it would be open to him but it just didn't seem right to do that any more now that his own duplex was open again.

Miller smiled giving her a little wave, "Nah youz proably didn't Iz just didn't feel rightz barging in sincez I gotz my duplex againz." He peeked past Awen to the pile of blankets and his ragged old cloths he had shown up in. "Came by toz pickz meh stuffz up and well... kickz your butt in Resistance for a bit." He said the last part with a little bit of a wink knowing very well from the times he challenged her in the past that he was sorely outmatched.

Miller grinned, "Wellz I'll keep thatz in mind thenz!" he walked on in floping on to his little blanket pile right in front the PS3 with a grin. He liked Awen, just another game loving nut who he could find the simplest joys in fraging each other with.

"Oh reallyz? Well be seein boutz that!" He grabbed a controller flinching slightly as he moved to do so, his arm and ribs bursting with pain, as well as the length of his spine which made little sense. He passed it off as the blanket pile just not being fluffy enough right now.

Miller smirked and made a face in Awen's direction, "Ohz yah? Well justz wait till I getz me hands on one of themz porcupinez grenadez!" He took up his controler getting ready to go.

About 20 points in to the match Miller found him self on a loosing streak but he didn't mind much. He finally had Awen in his sites though and jumped up with glee ready to open fire when his rib suddenly exploded with pain, his back as well causing him to stumble sideways and fall to his broken ribs side causing him to cry out more.