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 Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:39 pm
Lauren nodded and got up to go towards Awen's intercom. Looking back at the others with a worried look in her eye, Lauren tried to gather up the courage to push the button. With a sigh she pushed it and spoke into it, "Hello... anyone there?" Lauren asked the intercom awaiting a response.
[on hold until able to contact a staff member ^^;;]
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:25 pm
The waiting signal rang and rang, but it didn't seem that there was anyone there. There had been no answer on the other end of the intercom and Awen sighed a ltttle bit.
"Guess Sabin's not in his office or quaters..." She mumbled before pushing a button to end the infernal ringing.
"We may have to try in one of your duplexs, or up to the gates if you want an answer from the staff. But I still say we should jsut check on the others first." She shook her head a bit and frowned.
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Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:58 pm
Miller's feathers ruffled about in frustration, useless it seemed the labs where as always. He started to pace the room his feathers continuing to ruffle every few paces.
"Wellz if Sabinz won't answearz then I guessz we should justz go to the gatez and demand onez. Maybez there we could getz a real answearz for once?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:13 pm
Lauren shook her head, "I can't deal with this!" It was becomming too much for her to handle. "Maybe... maybe you guys should try to solve this mystery on your own... I don't think I can handle this ******** stress and drama right now." She finally spoke out. The staff not answering was the straw that broke the camels back for her. What EXACTLY was going on?!
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:53 pm
Awen crossed her arms and sighed softly. "Well I'm probably going to see other subjects. Screw what the labs have to say right now, I want to check on others. It could just be the three of us, after all, we don't know for sure."
She moved to go back to her pool but leaned into Miller. "You make sure she's okay." The manta hissed.
She placed a gentle hand on Lauren's shoulder as she passed. "Just keep calm hun. Things will be fine. Just go relax we'll figure this out."
She paused when she got ot the lip of the pool and turned. "I'm going to check out the other aquatic duplexes. I know that a few can't survive as well as I can when still for a long period of time."
Nodding Awen smiled. "It's fine guys, things are fine."
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:43 pm
Miller shrugged, three was still a rather big number of people to blank out for almost the exact same amount of time. He started to pace again when Awen stalked by, he returned the hiss with a quick and sharp chirp of annoyance.
Nodding again to Awen Miller took a seat beside Lauren, "Wellz you canz cover thatz I guessz meh and Lauren willz startz heading back tooz our duplexz and otherz?" He turned to Lauren frowning his best reaching over to squeeze her hand in reassurance that she wasn't alone in the whole situation.
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:57 pm
Reserved for completion of Miller/Lauren Rp above.
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:07 pm
A scrap of paper is slipped under Awen's door in the early morning.
It reads:
A new development. Meet me up river from the fishing spot. Midnight tonight.
-RH
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:17 pm
Moonlight Meeting at Midnight Awen arrived at the fishing spot on the river a while before twelve. She yawned a little bit as she flitted about the water waiting for her old friend. She was a little annoyed with the whole cloak and shadows deal and her oh-so-explanatory note.
Why couldn't he just show up at her doorstep and have a nice little chat? The way Richard went about things made her nervous. If it had been just for a chat she probably would have come to her door anyway. Was something wrong?
Oh why wasn't she here already?Richard had been waiting in her tree all evening. Since the conversation with Sabin she had felt conflicted, she was actively cooperating with the man that was responsible for her form. Even if he was right and she couldn't blame him for her fate entirely, Sabin still was a willing employee of the mad Moreau and from what she could make of him, enjoyed what he did to people.
Still the face to face meeting was proof enough to Richard that the mere suggestion of a loyalty serum absolutely terrified Sabin. It indicated the Sabin highly prized his own free will. If Richard could present him with actual evidence of the serum then Sabin might begin to act directly against Moreau, the outcome of that conflict would be absolutely unknown but Richard liked to think it would at least present opportunities.
At exactly twelve midnight by her watch, she hung the watch on a branch and climbed down from her tree. She crept out of the jungle and slipped into the River, a bit unstream from the manta girl. It was purposely in the earshot of a babbling brook that drained into the river. Awen sensed the shift in the flow of the river and turned around. Her eyes weren't very good in this darkness but at least the moon and stars were able to shed a little light on the river.
Head tilted Awen started back up the river slowly. "Richard? Is that you?"Richard's eyes caught the moonlight, shining like two beacons in the darkness. The water was cool on her skin, she shivered slightly as she sat down on the shallow river bed. In response to Awen's question she nodded and motioned her closer. She knew she was being paraniod but she didn't want any record of this conversation and was being as careful as she couldThe manta ray hesitated slightly and paused in her advance. Sure it was Richard already, but what sort of state of mind was she in? Shadowy deals and not speaking isn't generally her normal actions.
She sighed and continued until she was fairly close at a comfortable distance. "Alright, what's this all about? You're worrying me here."Richard flashed a warily smile at Awen, "Beautiful night for a swim isn't it?" She floated backwards to demonstrate, her tail lashing underwater. Then she sat up. Gesturing Awen closer. "Come on Awen, I don't bite. We have things to talk about. Friends to see." She was definitely enjoying the Manta's unease a bit. She scoffed and shook her head. "Well sorry for being cautious. You understand though, this isn't exactly standard for our meetings. I mean, what is this about? You're acting strange."
But dispite her objections she moved closer to the displacer beast. "Now what's up?"Richard chuckled as she placed a handover Awen's shoulders, "Sometimes I claw people though but lets not get into that." Her voice shifted to whisper, "Sorry about the midnight meeting my dear but I didn't want to talk to you on the record as it were. Its about poor Jordan." A shiver ran down the manta's spine hearing about the clawing people thing. She didn't know what was meant exactly but wasn't about to ask right now.
Awen's eyes widened at the mention of the doggy-islander. "What about Jordan? Is he okay? What has he done?"A small hand lifted up to Richard's lips "Shhhh, not so loud." She looked about in a paranoid fashion, her tentacles arching into a striking position above her. "I dunno I haven't seen him since Sabin's little joke. Whatever Moreau's did to him seemed to have stopped but that not what's really important. The priority of finding out exactly what Moreau did to him has increased dramatically. We need proof and as fast as possible." Richard's voice raced with urgency and excitement. This was becoming a hunt to her. This would make a difference somehow. "And what am I supposed to do about it Richard?" She hissed back at him. She sighed and shook her head. "Jordan isn't exactly forthcoming with me, I haven't seen him in ages. I mean I've hardly seen anyone since the April Fool's prank that screwed up some of my video game save files!" She was heated, but kept her voice low.
She leaned closer to the cat, her eyes narrowing. "I'm getting sick and tired of only being called upon when something is wrong, when someone needs information, or when someone else needs to vent. I'm not someone people can just use and abuse and throw away to the lake when I'm not needed!"
"Find your own damn information." She started to pull away from the cat. Obviously this instance wasn't the first thing that bothered her, but it was the last straw on her temper.That was not the reaction Richard had expected, she had thought Awen would be excited to be in on something important. Confusion swirled in her eyes as she reeled back. Then as as usual anger came back, her eyes narrowed, and she gripped Awen arm. "This isn't a game Awen, nor is it some high school drama. I don't know what so suddenly bothering you but we agreed to help each other with this. Or have you forgotten that? I've already went to Sabin with what we know so far." Awen tried to pull away from the other's grip but found it useless to do so. She wasn't quite as strong and didn't want those claws to dip into her flesh right now. So instead she did the only thing she could thing of, advance.
Though shorter than the woman she attempted to make herself look bigger, to tower over the cat as she crouched in the water. "Did I ever say this was a game?" Her voice was poisonous. "Do I look like I'm concerned about some damned highschool drama?"
With a large exhale she shook her head. "I'm concerned about this. I remember our talks. But what the hell am I supposed to do? You've got a direct link to Sabin, something I can't help you with anymore. You've probably had more contact with Jordan than I have. Hell you've had more contact with anyone than I have." She growled and once again tried to rip her arm away from the cat. "If you didn't notice I'm sort of useless here. I can't help you, and if it wasn't for the fact that I'm scared to death about the idea of a loyalty serum I wouldn't want to help you."
"You want to know why?" She spat. "Because I'm sick of being used. All I've ever been on this island was someone that others could vent at, could use, could be comforted by. But when I need someone, where are they? When I'm down, afraid, lonely or need something, where the hell is everyone? No where to be found. I look around, knock on doors, search the rivers. Hell I'd even settle for finding Billy, Jamal or Annie! People are too busy, can't be found, or having to do something else. What the hell else is there to do on this little rock anyway?"
"Go find someone else to use, because I'm all out of usefullness."Richard mouth steadily drew into a snarl as Awen's rant continued. She did not like either the tone, nor the contents of Awen speech. She was sympathic to a point with Awen concerns but Richard would not be lectured about this by a child. Standing up, the water dripping off the T-shirt and shorts she wore. She towered over the manta girl
"Awen..." She intoned with a growl, she let go of her wrist to bring her hand across her chest. "Then ask me for help." Then that right handpaw blurred, striking Awen across the face with its back side. It wasn't quite full strength but there was plently of force behind it. Even with Ricahrd not giving it his all Awen was sent sprawling to the shallow side of hte water. The manta hadn't been expecting the slap and was already off balance by the odd position in the water. For a moment she held a hand at the growing sore spot on her face. She closed her eyes a moment before drawing herself up.
"Like hell I can!" She growled as she stood. "You're so busy with your conspiracies, and your grudges and whatever the hell else you've been going on with I can't ever find you when I need to, and half the time I don't know if I can talk to you. I can't say anything about my loneliness because it would open old wounds with you, I can't vent about my problems because you always seem to have more. I'm supposed to be the comforter, I hug you when you cry, I am there when you need me. When you have a problem, you come to me, when you need information, I'll try to help find it. When I need something, what do I ever get? A pat on the back and a "toughen up kid". If I ever ask. But I don't, because I don't want people to hurt because of me."
She huffed and took a step back, intending to flee back into the water and away from this.
"So I'm sorry if I can't help you right now, but I'm sick of it."Richard crossed her arms and glowered at the defiant girl. "I can't help you with your relationship issues. What do you want me to do? Set you up with a blind date? I can only give what I have Awen. I come to you because I thought you would enjoy the opportunity to make a real difference with consequences that matter. Because I trusted you to see the big picture. You want to throw that away because you feel slighted by some imaginary insult." She growled as her tail lashed behind her.
Goddamit she swore to herself. Why was Awen being so god damn difficult. What did she want her to do? Awen couldn't help but a low chuckle. It sounded much deeper or darker than the normal Awen. "Ah!" She smiled. "Now appealing to a higher calling, trying to have a stab at my moral self. Yeah, guilt trip, I know you well."
The frown returned as she sighed. "Listen Richard, I do not enjoy being manipulated anymore... I'm being torn apart on this island and I just can't deal with it." Her voice softened for a moment. "I want to help... you know I do. But I don't want to be controlled anymore. I don't want to have my strings, moral, heart and otherwise just thrown around and tangled anymore."
Tears slowly formed in the girl's eyes and she looked away. "I'm just sick of being used and tossed away by everyone and I don't want to be alone anymore. I know it's stupid, I know it's childish but damnit at twenty years old I was not thinking I'd be some freak cooped up on an island where at any moment something even more terrible could spring up. I know that I have no right to complain, that I'm just like everyone else here, but a lot of people have been able to find things that make them happy. They've been able to adapt and grow together. But because I have sympathy for the labs because of..." She paused a moment to pick her words carefully. "Because of the friendship I have with Sabin, because I've made so many mistakes and shut myself out when I was afraid I've got no one, and nothing. I'm not driven like you, I can't just go out and investigate something fishy, because I don't smell it. Or rather I guess that's all I smell. I can't have drama about who did what and who broke up with who for whatever reason, I don't even have anyone to have and hold and cling to when I just feel like crying!"
"I've never liked being alone..." She said softly. "Not since my parents died and being on this island hasn't changed that."
She wiped a few stray tears from her rubbered cheek and took a slow deep breath.
"But you're right Richard, as usual." She let out another breath. "You need my help, it's important. She moved back and crouched back down in the water lower to the rushing water sounds. "What do you want me to do...?"Richard took a deep breath, trying to get a grip on her own anger. She smoldered for a few moments before joining Awen. She plunged her head underwater for a moment to cool off. She surfaced and pulled hair out of her face. She consider trying to offer Awen a hug but figured that would be assumed to be a manipulative gestured.
Instead she sighed then spoke, "I don't need you to go and do anything. Although I bet you'd have alot better luck talking to Jordan than I did. What I want to know is what happened during your last encounter with him that you refused to tell me about last time. I'm just looking for anything that might point to some sort of proof." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Sabin is very concerned about this." Awen looked up from the water at the mention of Sabin's concern. She seemed worried, but not really surprised. "I'll try to find Jordan and have a chat." She said softly with a nod before returning to a distant memory.
"Let's see... last time I saw him..." She bit her lip trying to remember any detail that may have been important. "He dragged me out of my duplex, he'd been acting like he was on some kind of mission, ya know? He didn't tell me where we were going to why, just that it was an emergency. We heard a blare of loud music and he ran off to figure out what was going on." She huffed a bit. "I mean leaving me all alone in the woods far from any water source... I'm not exactly the most defensible on land, eh?" She hsook her head and continued. "When I found him he was in a clearing with a snake guy, Thom I think his name was, and a human lady named Dee. Jordan and Thom exchanged harsh remarks, there was mention of a laptop which Thom may-or-may-not have been hiding from Jordan. Uh, Jordan attacked Thom for it, but the fight was very short. I got Thom to leave before any real blood was shed and Jordan was taking Dee back to the village, while I needed the nearest river."
She sighed a bit and ran her hand through the waters. "He worried me, he wasn't the same guy he was before. He wasn't nice, he was rude, harsh and honestly a complete jerk. I'd said something negative about Moreau, hell if I remember what, and he just shot me the deadliest glare you've ever seen. The man was possessed, I tell you Richard. I meant to hae a good chat with him so that he'd explain what the hell happened but I haven't been able to find him since." Shaking her head she finished. "And that's all I know."
She paused a moment as just listened to the night sounds of the jungle and the running water of the river. "I'm terrified Richard. If it really was a serum, or a special chip or something, anything.... this goes far beyond us on the island. This could, and probably will, affect the world. Knowing Moreau. Maybe that's why I've shelled myself to my own problems. I don't want to think about what this could mean. My loneliness and my abandonment issues are so much better than the pain of the thought of that mad man developing a control device that powerful... yet that simple. The thought of that falling into even worse hands than Moreau... and what that could mean for the world. It's terrifying Richard, and I don't think I can handle those kinds of thoughts. I can't do anything to stop something that big, I'm just tiny, a minor player in this game. I don't want to be helpless, but I don't know what I can do. Talking with Jordan probably won't help things, what more can we learn there that Sabin can't access? And... well... damnit. It just doesn't feel like enough." She shook her head with a stark laugh. "Or maybe I just have cabin fever and it's driven me to delusions."
God did she need a hug, or some sort of reassurance right now."A laptop?" Richard nodded thoughtfully. "It might have journals on it. He tell you why he needed it back? Thom is the snake right?" Richard had only met him in passing.
She listened to the rest with a sympathic ear. "Well when I talked to Jordan he insisted he was done with Moreau, he was a normal islander he said. Yet he still wouldn't explain to me what had happened."
"Even the tiniest player can make a difference Awen. A nudge in the right direction, or one of a chorus of voices." She seemed to be channeling a little of her old rightiousness that had been absent recently. "Sabin can't access everything, some of Jordan's files are missing. Moreau is off the island for the moment. So there is more freedom to dig at the moment. Do what you can. I'll see about this laptop."
Then she looked sternly at Awen. "Now are you going to ask me for a hug or are you going to sit there looking miserable." Richard smirked just a little but her tail was lashing with a smile underwater. Awen nodded slowly distantly listening to what Richard had to say. Offering a confirmation when he asked in Thom was the snake, but otherwise was going to go into more detail about the laptop when her toughts were interupted by that of a hug.
She looked up at the cat and just stared with a curious look on her face. But then quickly she moved forward and wrapped her arms around the older woman. The manta took a shuddering breath and held back some more tears that were thinking about forming.
"I'm sorry for what I said earlier Richard... about hte manipulation thing..." Her vocie was soft and very Awen-like apologetic. "I didn't mean what I said. I've been frazzled lately...spending too much time underwater I think..."
She gave the cat another tight squeeze before relaxing a moment, still holding on though. Like one would hold on to a life preserver. For a long moment she just held there before slowly peeling herself away, but still resting a hand on one arm of the cat.
"I'll see what I can do with Jordan. He said he needed the laptop back or Moreau might kill him. Not the exadurated stuff that you say when you're stressed, Jordan really was fearing for his life about this thing."Richard returned the hug with several times the force that Awen exerted on her. Pulling her into Richard's bosom. "Its okay." Richard assured Awen as she groomed the blue hair with a few licks of her rough tongue. There in her arms the word "cub" sprung into Richard's mind. She started to purr lightly.
Eventually she let the manta go. She smile down on her. "Then that laptop might be just thing we need. Let me know what Jordan has to say." She lifted Awen's hand to her face and rubbed the back of it against her muzzle before releasing it. "Keep safe and don't be afriad to come find me." Awen nodded with a small smile. The manta couldn't really help but feel a little bit awkward at the grooming, but that was to be expected really. Her instincts had never been prominent in such ways, and seeing that from Richard just was weird. But not exactly in a bad way. To be honest it was sort of comforting, especially with the dull rumble of a purr.
"If I can't find you I'll leave you a note, um, no details. It'll be just as cryptic and worry-some as the one you left me." She grinned a little bit. "You get any more info you let me know too. I'll maybe talk to Sabin about it and see if I can't find out anymore than you could."
She stood up and meant to leave again before pausing, turning, and rushin to give the beast another hug. "You are amazing Richard, a really good friend and a great person." She whispered with a squeeze.
But just as quickly as she had hugged him she was gone again. The blue girl disappeared into the river, blending in well with the current's flow. It had been a long night. Now she just had to keep eyes and ears open for Jordan and Sabin.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 8:39 pm
Confronting Jordan The day had been spent in his duplex, like so many had been. He was still afraid to be outside or be alone. Right now, he was alone. Victor was off doing his thing, leaving Jordan scared and to his own devices. He was going stir-crazy, but at least the pain meds were taking the edge off. Jordan had been told that he’d have to go outside eventually. The thought of those predators being out there and on the loose frightened him. He was still in shock that he’d ventured into the village no less to find Victor. And in the midst of fear and pain killers, he just wanted to walk again, to not be crippled bait for another attack.
Jordan wheeled himself towards the door and felt himself tremble as he neared the portal to the outside world. Maybe if he just opened the door and sat in the doorway, he could enjoy that cool breeze without physically going outside.
Sweat ran down the nearly-furless face. His paw hesitantly reached out for the door as he was in stunned disbelief. Technically, he wasn’t going outside and so it was different, right? Right. The doorknob was clutched tightly as he lunged forward, ,throwing himself out of his chair and against the door. He wasn’t going to actually open it if he could help it, but he had to fall back into his wheelchair and the knob turned and pulled as he fell back into his seat and rolled backwards by his own force. The door swung open and he stared in horror, afraid. Traumatized.
"H...h..." he squeeked out, trying to form the words. He was too far from the door now and anyone could be out there. "Hel...help..." he squeeked out, staring out at the sand and water helplessly.. Awen had been surprised as she raised her webbed arm to knock on the dark duplex's door that it burst open infront of her. The manta girl jumped to the side and out of the way. For a moment she caught her heartbeat and tried to figure out what just happened.
She could hear a soft voice but no coherent words that she could tell. She peeked her head around the corner with a curious, cautious frown and saw Jordan with his eyes all wide bits of his fur standing on end. Her brow furrowed as she stepped full into view.
"Jordan? Sweetie are you okay? It's just me, Awen."Awen glanced around at the open air about her. "Jordan there isn't anyone out here..."
Stepping inside she shut the door. She frowned and glanced around the duplex and then straight at Jordan. "What happened to you? Who will kill you? It's not another Moreau thing is it? Actually we have to talk about that...."
She moved closer and shook her head slightly before kneeling down to more his level with the wheelchair. "But never mind about that for now... Are you okay?"Jordan visibly calmed with the door’s shutting. Once more he was protected by his fortress of solitude. Not even the big bad wolf could get in now – or so he wanted to tell himself. His arms were ‘miraculously’ able to move again and they fell at his sides, taking a deep, slow breath. It was Awen, not a killer. Not a blood-thirsty killer tiger-man.
He tried to say that name of pure, unadulterated evil. He tried hard to utter the name of the his would-be assassin, but all that would come out was “It was J-J-Ja…” that’s all he could say without starting to feel panicked once again. “We were attacked.. in the jungle…” he lowered his head to gaze into his lap. “Five months have passed without knowing what happened.. I was scared and looking for answers. I was hoping to find you at the lake, but a shark.. what’s his name..? Alec? We were on our way to the village and he came out of nowhere.. attacked us in the jungle.. I don’t know if Alec’s alive..” he still trusted her somewhat, even though she was a friend of Richard’s. He hated that feline so much… “What? Moreau?” he blinked, whispering in confused echo.
He reached out to hug her when she was close enough. Awen was the first islander he’d met and to that end, she was his first friend upon the island. Who knew if they were still such good friends after Jordan had dragged the manta into the jungle, bolted when he’d heard the outburst caused by Dee’s music, and the way that he’d simply blown her off when he escorted the then-human Dee back to the village. “I can’t walk.. I can’t even feel my legs, Awen.” He laid his head on her shoulder and fought to hold back the tears. The manta wrapped her arms around the furry form as he reached out to her. She closed her eyes tightly and squeed as she could. Another Jamal attack? But not against the guards or lab techs...against regular islanders. She held him closely. This is what she was afraid of since the start for Jordan. He shouldn't have been so vocal about his allegences, he shouldn't have been so zealous about Moreau.
A few tears rolled down Awen's cheek as she drew in a quick breath. "Jordan... I'm so sorry." Not able to feel his legs? Could he be paralised from the wasit down? "You shouldn't be... this shouldn't... Damnit Jamal..."
She pulled back from the hug but kept her hands on the dog's shoulders. Her expression was already schooled from her anger and despair into a smile for her friend. "You'll be okay Jordan... don't worry. I'm sure you'll be okay. You have changes left, it wouldn't be the first time that the changes have healed things... you will be fine it'll be okay."A penny for her thoughts. If he could have read her thoughts, he’d hear ‘I told you so’. Jordan shouldn’t have done a lot of things, one of the more notorious had been speaking of Moreau, allowing Lauren’s opinion of Moreau to integrate into his, and to perform any deed for the name of the labs publicly. He’d caused strife in the lives of several others’ lives, the most notable being Newt, whom he hadn’t seen in three months now. Probably a good thing, too.
“Don’t cry, Awen..” he reached out to pat her webbed hand, offering a look of condolence., “St least I’m alive, right?” he paused, not sure what to say so she didn’t have to shed tears for one so undeserving of pity. “And who knows… maybe the next change will heal my shattered legs…” Jordan didn’t really believe that in his state of mind, but he had to sound convincing for her. Hope felt so false following the attack.
“I’m glad to see you, Awen. I’m sorry for what happened in the jungle. You’re my best friend here. You helped me when I was new, you’ve continued to speak to me even when I’ve been a jerk and a complete idiot. I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you in the jungle that day with Dee. One person I mat have been able to protect.. but, I’m told that I’ll get stronger and be able to protect myself and others.” He put on a half-frowning grimace to those words. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but when those mistakes begin to affect others than myself.. there’s a problem..” Jordan fumbled his paws nervously, hoping his apology would be received with open ears. She nodded and wiped away the tears she'd forgotten had fallen. She was just so distraught to see one of her friends in such a condition. "Your legs will be better hun, they'll grow strong in the next change, I'm sure." And she was actually. There was no doubt in her mind, as other wounds healed for some miraculously then so could this.
"And shush Jordan." She waved her hand with a small frown. "Don't go on with all this sorry stuff. It's okay. I understand, you're not yourself and something is wrong here."
She sat herself down on the ground next to the wheelchair and sighed. "That's actually why I came here. We need to talk Jordan... I'm worried for you. Worried for a lot of things.... something just... isn't right here."He’d listen to her so long as she kept him company. He needed to feel safe and numbers accomplished that. Even if it was to talk about something that could potentially land them both in a lot of hot water, Jordan was relieved to be with a good friend for the moment. The last time anything had been said to the effect of Moreau, Jordan had become defensive and outright stand-offish. Sure, the lingering effects of the mental tampering had become an integrated part of his brain. The re-wiring of his mind’s facilities.. all he could do now is ifght it, because it was a permanent part of him, no matter how much he detested it or succumb to it on any given day. He was pretty sure what she was going to bring up.. and Jordan wasn’t going to fight her again.
He steepled his paws as best he could and held the index digits to his chin as he nodded solemnly. He cared for her and feared for her well-being with this approaching conversation. “Okay, Awen. Yes. Let’s talk, then.” He nodded, giving her a kind smile. “What’s on your mind?” Jordan figured that he’d let her bring up any controversial subject matter. Awen looked around the duplex and knew that this was probably the least safest place to talk to Jordan about what she wanted to. She sighed a little bit.
She shifted around in her seat as she thought about how to overcome this situation when her slightly laboured breath made it clear.
"Well, I've been out of the water for awhile... I really should get back to the water. I was hoping, maybe we could talk while I sorted my breathing out?"Jordan had hoped that she would suggest as such. It would have looked all-too suspicious if he’d offered that option. Moreau watched him like a hawk and knew his duplex was not a safe zone to speak on confidential and controversial matters.
Jordan nodded in understanding as he wheeled his chair to the other side of the bed closer to the door. He was less afraid with someone near him, though he had to overcome the anxiety of the outdoors for this important meeting. He knew things. Whether or not he’d be able to disclose such classified information was debatable. If he knew anything worth divulging.
“I understand. Just.. one small favor.. once we’re outside, I may become too afraid to push my owqn wheelchair. I hate to impose, but do you think you could aid me? It sounds like we have a lot of catching up to do.” He gave her a subtle nod as to say it was her move. "It's been a while since I've enjoyed a slow walk in the great outdoors." Awen nodded with a smile and stood up. "Well of course I'll help!" She was about to say that she could until they got to the water but thought better of it in favour of something else. "Maybe I could even get you into the water with me? I hear that some people have actually had physical therapy by swimming and being helped to swim. It may help?"
Please say yes Jordan... in the water and further from the camera and microphones....
The manta girl took hold of the wheelchair and pushed the dog outside. When they stepped out Awen took a deep breath, getting out of Jordan's duplex was like getting weight off of her shoulders. She didn't know what it was about the place, and of course she'd never say anything to Jordan lest he be offended, but that duplex just gave he the creeps.
He smiled at her offer to push his chair. Perhaps they weren’t being overly subtle, but neither had outright declared they were conspiring. “You don’t say..” he looked up with genuine curiousity. Anything that could restore his legs was worth a chance. “well.. alright.” He tried to make it convincing with some hesitation inbetween words.
As he felt Awen grip the handles from behind him, Jordan closed his eyes. If he couldn’t see where they were going, then he could pretend they were elsewhere. Immediately, it felt awkward though as he began to panic with quickening breaths. It was as if he were Alec on that trail the day they’d been attacked. “I… I’m gonna keep my eyes closed…” his breaths were shallow. “V-Victor says I have to overcome my fear of going outside… and I trust you with my life, Awen.” "Yeah..." Awen shuddered a bit at the thought. She may enjoy and indeed need water to live these days but the fear still tingled her skin when she thought of it. "In and out of therapy clinics half my life. One therapist suggested I take some time with this little theraputic pool at her clinic. She said it was mostly used for physical rehabilitation but mine was a special case and it could maybe help." She ave a small chuckle. "I never even got my toes wet, I got out of these as fast as I could.... and never went back to that clinic." After a short pause she smiled. "But like I said, they use it to help so maybe it could help you too."
Nodding Awen smiled. "This Victor is a smart guy. Best way to overcome your fear is to emerse yourself in it. Take it from me, pup." She smiled and wheeled Jordan on.
"Just take your time, I'm here for you. Once we're in the water it won't be so bad. No one will be able to hurt you there as long as I'm around." She said softly to him as she continued pushing him to the lake.
It took some time but she came to the edge of the lake after quite a few bumps and jostles of the chair. Awen chatted about anything that came to her head to try to keep Jordan mind off of the outdoors.
"Um, you may want to open your eyes now. You'll need to see to help get in the water."
Last time Awen was at the lake with a wheelcahired man Alec had tossed himself into the mud. Awen was not wanting to repeat the experience of dragging another islander through the muck.Awen was a smart girl to distract Jordan’s mind. He was a mess, more than before. He was afraid of things too, just.. never before like this. He didn’t like most insects, spiders especially, but buzzing, stinging pests such as bees, wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets )all of which were found in Florida and had stung him at one point of another). Bees died after one sting, but the others.. wasps stung and stung and stung. He wasn’t allergic, but it was painful. That pain of stinging was associated with the pain needles left. As a child, he’d needed regular bloodwork drawn, something that left the fear of needles in his mind. Needles were hard to deal with as well. He’d flinched like a wuss when Moreau had injected him upon arrival and he literally stabbed himself in the arm out of irrational fear prior to his last self-administered injections.
“Victor’s a nice guy.” He replied shakily, clutching at the chair’s armrests for dear life. It didn’t take canine senses to tell him he was outside, but with both powerful smell and hearing painting pictures in his mind it was difficult to ignore. “He’s a psychology major and he’s dropped by on occasion since I was released from the labs.He couldn’t help but chuckle nervously at being called pup. It brought back a few memories of a ruined friendship with a pterodactyl girl who’d called him puppy, another testament to how well Jordan makes friends and then stupidly turns them against him.
Every bump had made him edgy and nervous that he was going to topple over like Alec had in their frantic escape from Jamal. That was what happened, an unseen rock had sent them to the ground toppled over.
Once they’d stopped, Jordan nodded softly at hearing Awen’s request to open his eyes. He still clutched at the wheelchair arms tightly. Jordan took several deep breaths in preparation. He kept telling himself he was safe, but it was difficult to admit ot himself that he’d come out so far. Slowly, he pried an eyelid open. He was jittery, shaking all over, as he opened his eyes a bit more, gasping with the anxiety coming back rapidly. “O-O-Okay… before I change my mind..” he gripped Awen’s hand tight, as to signal he was ready to make the leap to the water. "Well you'll have to introduce me to Victor sometime. He sounds like a good guy, smart too." The manta made sure to lock the break on the wheelchair before trying to get the dog off.
"Okay, I'm going to pull you up and..well... for lack of a better way try to use that momentum to get you into the water, alright? This part of the lake is pretty deep right off the shore, but not deep enough for you not to hit the bottom. It may sting a bit at the jostle but it's better than trying to struggle through the mud..alright? On the count of three...""
"One.... two...three!" Awen pulled up and over on the dog's arms with all her might, hoping that he would as well push himself up and hopefully get him into the water. Once in that far Awen could more easily help him.Jordan nodded. “Alright. I’m ready.” He placed his paws back onto the wheelchair armrests, readying himself to push off, like a child launching from a swing. He rocked himself back and forth, though it had hurt a little to do so, awaiting her signal. He was judging the force needed to make it into the water without falling short and becoming a mud puppy. This seemed crazy, but at the same time, somewhat rational. Jordan knew he could trust Awen. She wouldn’t let him drown.
He used his momentum to their advantage as Awen hefted him to his feet, propelling himself up and out of the chair and waving his arms to stablilize himself. “Whooooooa…” He could feel his legs go limp under him and he had to lean on her shoulder for support or fall down on the spot. Jordan wrapped an arm over her back as he wondered how this was going to work. His legs were seemingly unresponsive and sore from prolonged unuse.
“I’m sorry I can’t do more to help. I feel like I’ll fall over at any moment. My legs feel so weird.. so numb and dead..” "OH geez!" Awen had meant to push the guy over the edge into the water, not just into a standing position besider her. His weight threw her off balance and almost made them both fall to the ground, but by some miracle Awen gained her footing and shouldered Jordan's weight as much as she could. Sure she was hunched over and stressing to keep them upright let alone able to walk to the water. But it was something.
She huffed a bit under pressure. "Alright..." She said with a strain. "Just.. try to keep balance. Once we're at the edge.... I'm going to have to drop you into the water. Sorry I don't think... there is any more...graceul of a way to do this..."
The manta tried to take a wobbling step forward.Leave it to Jordan to make any seemingly simple task difficult. He felt bad for putting so much strain on Awen. “Please don’t hurt yourself on my.” He commented softly, trying to sound less like a burden, but that’s exactly what he was to someone or another, just a burden. That’s why he was better off as a subject than rotting in prison. Or so he would be led to believe.
“Alright. I think I know how to do this.” He nodded to her with a stupid grin. He had to do this in one fall swoop or he’d wind up in the mud, so he jerked his torso off to the side as he let go of Awen, and let his body splash into the water ungracefully.
The water felt so good on his fur-shaven body. His head popped out of the water, leaving his shoulders barely exposed as he looked back, smiling up at the manta. He didn’t panic. There was no need to. He was able to sit in this part of the water comfortably and have his head poke above the surface. “I’ve missed how great this feels.” Awen was once again set off balance bu the sudden weight shift on her shoulders. She hadn't expected Jordan to do that on his own so quickly. She fell to her knees as Jorda splashed over the edge and into the deep-ish water. She grinned as she moved closer to see the dog boy's smile.
"It is wonderful, isn't it?" The girl lowered herself into the lake a little more slowly and gracefully. Looking around Awen found what she wanted. There was a small spot nearby where the river met the lake. It was not too unlike where she and Richard had met for their convorsation, semi-deep but with shallow parts where the water ran over rocks to make enough noise to confuse speak in microphones. She took the dog's arm and tugged a little. "Let yourself float, I'll bring you over there. The flowing water might help a bit more than the more stagnant stuff."
She'd not forgotten why she took Jordan on this little outting.Once more nodding, he allowed himself to be dragged into the flowing waters, smiling at the feeling of moving water over his bared skin, something he missed dearly and knew wouldn’t last. All that fur to grow back sometime.
“Yes it is wonderful.” He felt his body float more as he let his muscles relax. He couldn’t help but smile as he was indeed feeling good in her company, in the water. “Good thing I know the doggy paddle.” He winked at the horrible pun. His anxiety was melting away in the cross-stream. Jordan’s muscles relaxed even more and he let himself soak up the momentary peace.
“I bet you know lots of places like this.” He curiously asked, skimming his arms over the water’s surface once they were settled into the new location. Jordan closed his eyes and sat there, ears flicking every now and again, but it was obvious he was more calmed than he had been. Awen smiled for a moment watching the dog-man just soak everything in. The flowing waters, the warm sunlight the calming gentle words. It was a wonderful moment...
"Yeah... there are a lot of lovely spots I don't think many other people really know or care about." She ran fer fingers along the water watching the tipples and trails it left. "And there are a few wonderful little underwater caves I wish I could show you."
She shook her head slowly. The moment must end.. there was a reason to this, and it wasn't a little pleasure trip.
"Jordan..." Her tone suddenly changed to a more serious one. "I'm worried about you..."It was a grand moment. A shame that it did have to come to an end, but before that had to be, Jordan relaxed his body even more, sinking down till his chin was touching the water. His arms lay at his sides beneath the water. He smiled, still with his eyes closed, as he wished he could see those caves as well. The things Awen was privy to by mere fact that she was aquatic in nature made him envious. Alas, the happy moment had to stop sometime.
Jordan opened an eye just enough to peer out of the corner from his vision. “You are?” was all that he could articulate. Jordan hadn’t anticipated that. He’d thought she was going for the hard material off the bat, like Richard had tactlessly done in his obsession with the loyalty serum that had leaked out in drunken intimidation. "Well, yeah of course." She said and kept her eyes to the water as she tried to work her words carefully. "Last I saw you you were completely irrational. You were irate, rude, and obsessive. I wouldn't have been surprised if you would have took a crack at me for saying something bad about Moreau."
She paused for a second and closed her eyes trying to get things right in her mind. "That's not you Jordan. I mean.. I knew you before your changes... before all..this.." She shook her head. "No. There is something wrong..." She opened her eyes and looked at the dog. "I mean... I know that you sympathised with Moreau... thought he was doing you good. But I mean... he is destroying lives... hurting people... breaking up families and turning... people like Jamal into Jamal." She shook her head. "Why... why risk life and limb for him. Why be so defensive? Why... did you look at me like you wanted to hurt me for my comment about him? Jordan.. that isn't you."
Awen purposefully avoided the subject of a loyalty serum for the time being.“I… don’t know what to say, Awen.. I didn’t mean to involve you.. but I was scared. I didn’t want to die out there.. and I could have potentially killed a human bystander in the process..” He lowered his head in shame. “I came to you because I needed a friend at my side..” he huffed, rubbing at his temples. “Truth-be-told, it was supposed to be Lauren backing me up. Doctor’s orders. Except she was no where to be found. I’m so sorry, Awen..”
“No.. not exactly.. that wasn’t me speaking, per se. I mean, it was and it wasn't. I’d been scared until Lauren had come to my duplex one day maybe two weeks after my arrival. She put things into perspective for me, gave me the sunnier-side-of-the-island speech… Moreau is our salvation. If we work with him and not against him, we can have anything we can desire. I wanted so badly to believe her that I even gave that speech verbatim to a newcomer, myself… and then I transformed infront of her... for the first time” he shook his head, not wanting to divulge the chemical influence. Not yet. “I bought into her persuasive words. It’s hard to explain what’s happening to me, Awen.”
She rose so many good points that he would have difficulty disputing. “I don’t know what to say in my defense. I can’t erase my mistakes.” "I'm not looking for you to apologise Jordan." She said in a rather flat tone. "You really have to stop apologising for every little thing." She shook her head slowly. "I'm worried for you, not angry with you."
Tilting her head back to look up at the sky the manta was backed into a corner. "Truth be told I've heard a very disturbing rumour Jordan... And you may not like it... hell I don't even know if I believe it... but I'm terrified of it and what it could mean. It goes beyond the subjects, beond the lab techs... hell it goes beyond the island."
The girl ran a nervous hand through her hair. "I always looked on the bright side of things. The research here could be used to cure countless diseases, mental conditions and advance mankind in a way nothing else can..." Her hand gripped into a fist and she cursed. "But to think it was going to be used for weapons... just... it disgusts me. Disgusts me that I've embraced this life so much when it will cause a whole lot of pain..."
Looking over to Jordan she frowned. "Loyalty serum. A way of controlling us, the techs... people, military forces, governments... This is so much beyond is....and it scares the hell out of me Jordan."She wasn’t angry with him. That was a good start. He didn’t want to blow up at Awen and she’d called him out on many valid points. One being that he was pissed at her in the jungle with Dee and Thom. And he was ready to slug her for that comment about Moreau then.. Jordan did apologized a lot since being a test subject. It came with the territory of being such a screw-up, despite his efforts. The coming blow had been softened and he looked over to her a bit nervously.
Jordan remained silent, while hanging onto the manta’s every motion, every word. It was best to let her speak her peace, though he hadn’t imagined the research conducted upon the island could possibly be used in biological warfare. Transforming humans into human0animal hybrids, sure he could believe that as it was happening to most everyone on the remote island, but manipulating the technology for global military purposes? That was kinda far-fetched. It sounded like the rumor-mill was huffing paint thinner.
He’d expected her to come looking for information, but Jordan had not anticipated Awen bluntly stating those words that were making his life more difficult thanks to a damned transgender tentacle cat poking her nose where it didn’t belong. His body submerged abruptly, as he splashed in surprise. Loyalty serum?! How the hell did she come to know about that?!
Jordan popped his head back up, spitting out a lung-full of water and coughing. Jordan was wide-eyed as he frantically splashed closer to Awen, his large paws making that easier to tread water without the use of his legs. She’d hit something on the nail and it drove deep as he gripped her shoulders firmly, staring her in the eyes with that wild expression.
“Awen. Listen to me. This is very important.” He lowered his voice in urgent fear. “Where’d you hear that?” there was no point in pretending, with Awen, that he didn’t know about the loyalty serum. He was a terrible liar and she quite possibly knew him better than anyone on the island. “For your own safety, please, don’t get involved. Whoever’s told you is playing a dangerous game that could cause each of us more trouble than anyone in the labs ever could.”Awen's eyes widened as Jordan revealed his knowledge of the subject. She'd hoped that Richard was exadurating, or just being paranoid. But it was true? She shook her head, her tone become sligtly more harsh, but not angry. "Jordan, I'm already involved."
She looked directly into the pup's eyes with a steady gaze. "We're already in more trouble than the labs could give us. You have to understand that. Why would Moreau develop such a thing, just for his own amusement? To keep us in line? He could put us in chages and be done with it. No. No, no. There is something more in that scheming red head of his. Something bigger. But you know about it? He..." Awen backed up a half inch in the water. "He's injected you with it hasn't he? You're his test first subject?"
Or was Lauren his first? She couldn't tell anymore if the mongoose's love of the man was real or... no, no... Moreau really had saved Lauren from her torment on the streets. She'd reacted favourable to the labs, but so did Awen. Or perhaps... they were experiments first with it? Milder versions? Had Moreau been working on it the entire time? And Jordan was just the first...extreme subject?
Thoughts swirled around in Awen's head as her heart thumped hard in her chest. She had to keep calm. "Richard's a better ma--person than you think." She said softly. The girl rubbed her temples softly. "But that's not the issue. She isn't the only one who is worried." The manta sighed and shook her head. "I was the one who brought to light the world wide consequences of something like this. And from what I can tell no one but Moreau knows of this serum. His lab techs, the guards... not even Sabin and Aubrey were told about it from what I gather."
She bit her lip. "Jordan, I'm just saying that this is serious. It isn't just about you."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.” 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."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.” 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.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. "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."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. "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.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. "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: Tue May 29, 2007 9:05 pm
Return to the Graves The manta ray sat on a large rock facing the graves of the poor souls who had already lost their lives to this sick experiement. The girl noted that new graves were place with those she'd already known. These for the guards taken by her former lover. A man turned mad for the sake of... what? Science? Knowledge? Or just Moreau's sick pleasure and plans?
Looking up at the sky clouds rolled blocking most of the natural moon's glow from ever reaching the earth. With a sigh she waited. Awen had certainly lived up to her promise for a creepy meeting place. The graveyard, at night, that would be enough to give anyone the heebie jeebies. It was so far from water too, Richard wondered if it might be someone other than Awen who had left the note.
She made her way down the forest path with no small amount of caution. An audible sniff occured every few paces and her green eyes scanned her surroundings. As she neared the graveyard, she caught wind of a smell that was unmistakable, a tangy, sharp smell of drying manta skin. It relaxed Richard considerably as she stepped into the clearing. She saw the manta's outline on the rocks and hurried to the figure. She made little sound as she stepped behind Awen and placed a handpaw on her shoulder. Richard slipped next to Awen on the rock. The handpaw stayed where it was and pulled Awen into a quick one armed hug as she settled on the rock. "I was starting to get worried about you." she whispered before releasing Awen. She sighed in response to Awen's question. "They're going, I can't say I've had much luck. And I think I've finally read all the Tom Clancy Novel's in existence, twice." Her ears drooped a bit, it had been over a month now and she had nothing solid, it was beginning to eat at her. "You were right." She said finally. She didn't really seem in the mood for responding to the small talk she herself had created. She looked over to the big cat and gave her a meaningful look. "About your 'friend'. He can't be trusted.... and all our suspisions have been confirmed."
She looked over to the graves marking only the beginning. "And my fears have worsened..."Richard nodded slowly. They couldn't talk freely here, the graveyard would definitely be monitored. "Friend," She rolled of the word off her mouth. "Funny way to put it. You know originally I was trying to save him. Make him see what was happening. Now he doesn't seem to care anymore. " Richard remembered their most recent meeting, now two month ago. Jordan had not cared about anything beyond himself, just wanted to take the easy route.
She pulled Awen closer. "We'll stop him eventually, somehow. But for now prehaps you can tell me the story on the way back." She didn't need to add that it wasn't safe here. As spoke her eyes roamed across the tombstones. "I don't really want to go back." She said softly still staring at the graves. "He's not exactly as far gone as that anymore. He listened to a bit of reason, but even he knows he can't be trusted for much longer." She tried to think of a way to put this without raising too much suspision...as thought it weren't already raised with her sitting next to Richard. "His changes are going to get the better of him. He knows it, I know it... and he knows my position on things. All of my fears and convictions... He knows them, I know his. He is going to give into the changes.... They've already claimed so many. Annie, Jamal...for the most extreme. They've taken lives... in so many senses of the word."
"Everyone falls eventually. Why even bother fighting it?" "So he's decided to become a pet? Just give up." Richard made a grumble of disgust. Moreau had chosen well, Jordan was probably someone who was supacceptable cult like thinking to begin with. Jordan didn't stand a chance against a chemical cocktail. "I wish I could say I was surprised."
After Awen's last question Richard was silent a long time. She, who kept a territory and marked her duplex with her scent to feel more at home, wasn't exactly the most human of islanders. She stared at the graves. She could see her own besides them.
"Because I'm not going to make it easy for him. I want this story to end in the same way as that one." Richard points the large tombstone in the back of the cemetery. "Eventually that tower's going to explode under the weight of that man's ego. And I will be there to appreciate the day." Richard could have coated the sentiment in honorable words. Talked about justice and that they were human at the core but she didn't. This struggle could spread beyond the island but that wasn't why she fought. A flash of anger rose to Awen's eyes as she rounded on the cat. "He didn't choose anything." She growled. "He going to try to fight it... I just don't think he can."
She calmed slightly as she contemplated the older woman's next words. "And why Richard? Why are you fighting?" There was something that had been left unsaid, something that left a bad taste in the manta's mouth. She suspected, for much longer than just tonight, that there was less to Richard's fight in this than Awen's fears.
"And what's the point? If the changes work on our friend, if they've worked on so many others in a number of different ways, what makes you think it will end the same as that mad man's grave?" She huffed. "We're puppets. I've come to see that at the very least I am. Moreau's puppet, Sabin's puppet, your puppet, Jordan's puppet.... hell I will dance to whoever picks up the strings. Maybe I am just foolish and naive as everyone seems to think... it would explain quite a few things. So really, what's the point? What can we do now but wait for the time that he slips up?"Richard snorted at Awen's insistence on Jordan's fighting it but made no more comment.
"Why fight?" She seemed confused by the question. The exact reasons had shifted since she had gotten here, the focus of her efforts had changed but actually giving up the struggle had never really been considered. She had taken breaks, vacations when her changes seemed to much to bare. But even after giving up much of what had been Richard and ceding to the demands of her shape and gender she was still here, plotting, acting, trying to make a measurable difference. She studied Awen for a long time before replying, then finally smirked. "I haven't heard a compelling reason to stop Awen. I don't have much left to lose. There are as many reasons as there are villagers. I'm still here, despite everything. I'm different but I'm still here. So are you." She ruffled Awen's hair in a grandfatherly manner.
"Your not a puppet," She scolded Awen lightly then softened, "puppets arn't nearly as stubborn."
She dropped her tone to a whisper, dropping her head closer. "Yes we wait, go to Sabin with what you have. Try to find more. Try to get Jordan on a recording. Look for any crack you can find that might cause some trouble for the tower." So he does it for himself. Because he doesn't have anything else to do, nothing else to hang on to. Not so noble... not so caring. He's in it for himself. For when she was a him. Trying to fight the changes on a different level. To save her sanity, perhaps, or to hold on to a life that is no more.
Awen pulled away from Richard's closeness. "And why should I?" She huffed. "Why listen to you Richard? Why fight what I can't stop." She growled slightly. "Why dance to your strings?"Richard was unable to suppress a snarl at Awen's out burst, she pulled back. "I've given you my reasons. Both the big ones and the small ones." She hissed the words at Awen. She stopped and visibly forced the snarl from her face and breathed a few times to calm herself. "I can't give you a purpose Awen," her voice much calmer. "I need your help, I want as much help as I can get. Why are my reason not good enough? This is not hopeless struggle here, already you can feel the lab's grip starting to slip. It will get worse." Richard looked away at the ground, ears' drooping slightly, tail still and a slight pout on her thin lips. Frustrated and hurt. Richard wanted an ally she could actually trust, she managed to bully Awen into it last time but the struggle had become tiring to Richard as of late. Nothing seemed to be working. "I know..." Awen sighed softly. "I'm just tired." She rubbed her eyes a little bit and drew a deep, raggad breath. "I haven't slept in.... since I talked to our friend.... maybe a week... maybe more... I don't know." She shook her head and stood up.
She slowly moved to the graves and crouched down infront of the nearest one. She read the name, over and over she read the way that Fiona died. She placed a hand on the top of the marker and sighed once more. "I'm just afraid Richard... I'm tired and afraid. For myself, for our friend, for you, for the island.... for everyone. I just... I'm starting to wonder what to do, if we can do anything. Sitting around and waiting just... doesn't feel right."Richard blinked, surprised at her sudden capitulation. "You haven't slept in a week?!" the concern driving her voice up an octave. Was that even possible? She must be exaggerating, she hoped. She watched Awen intently, now alert for the signs of stress.
"As for what do next maybe we can talk about that on the way back." Awen rolled her shoulders as she stood up slowly from the grave side. "Yeah... That sounds like a good idea." She scratched the flaking skin from her arm and stood note how hard it was becoming to breath again. They built this place far enough from the damn water sources...
She turned and gave a weak smile to Richard and started back towards the path that led them there."He doesn't want anyone hurt." She said softly. Her walk was a little more wobbly than usual. "He doesn't want people to be in pain, to be punished... to be involved. He doesn't trust or like you, thinks that you're just dragging me into your game. Blah blah blah Awen can't think for herself because she's a useless little naive kid... He doesn't think there are any plans that go beyond the shores of the island. Thinks all of this... is just for medical research and ends at our boarders. Even his own...special serum..."Richard shook his head in disbelief, "He has a lot of nerve to call you naive." She licked her handpaw and ran it through her hair. "So he admitted it was a loyalty serum then?" There was a slight eagerness to her voice. "Well... the naive bit was ad libbed in by me." She chuckled a bit. "But yeah... he admitted the serum bit."
Awen briefly wondered whether or not the eagerness she heard from the cat was imagined or if hse was just too tired and her paranoia was getting a hold of her. "Which is why I don't know if we can do anything about it.""Hopefully that will be enough to convince Sabin, he'll want more proof. Hopefully he can do some of his own digging too." Richard smiled, happy she was at least vindicated in her suspicions.
She sobered as to what to do. "What do you mean Awen? We still have the laptop to worry about. And there is Sabin...""And what can they do against a mind control serum?" Awen rose an eyebrow and shook her head. "It's a nice thought to think we can make a difference...but..."
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Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:46 pm
Omg Marshall are you oka--date? Marshall hadn't done much since his birthday. It wasn't exactly the happiest of memories but still wasn't nearly as bad as say, Halloween or April Fools day, but it still wasn't his best birthday ever for obvious reasons; being a penguin simply being one of them.
The bagels Nita had given him had been eaten, though as Marshall lied there on the grass, he couldn't help but groan at the mere thought of eating. He felt like he was as big as a house for some reason this morning.
Even Gaius said I had put on a few pounds...But today I just feel like a sloth or some thing...
He lied sat next to the water of the river, looking up every so often to see if Awen, the girl he had seemed to develop a school-boy crush on, was out swimming. Alas, on his fourteenth check, nope, she sure wasn't.
He lied back down, closing his eyes.
Its so hot... Awen was swimming by, and she indeed was there, simply under the water where the poor penguin couldn't see her. She'd been following a particularaly spunky little fish for some time. It flitted about in such an odd way the manta decided to follow it. Now she sat, grapping a rock to stay steady, as she watched a much larger fish appear from the gloom.
Awen knew this was a predator. It's movements were slow, unassuming, but percise. It slowly moved towards the smaller fish, swaying slowly back and forth. Though she had grown attached to the little fish Awen couldn't help but a small grin to watch nature work it's course.
When it was close enough the big fish struck, it snapped it's jaws at the smaller fsih. To Awen's amazment hte little one took off and moved just in time to avoid being caught in the jaws. And the race was on, they did laps from one end to the other of the river until finally the little fish decided to use the flowing waters and sped down the river.
Not in the mood to chase the duo Awen slowly made her way to the surface. A silent chuckle rippled through her body and as she broke the surface it turned out to be a full on laugh. "Good on ya little guy!" She grinned. "Go for freedom!""A-Ah!" Marshall said, jolting upwards with a shocked look on his face at Awen's encouragement for the tiny fish. His black beak turned red, however, as he saw Awen laughing. He couldn't help but find her laugh...Cute.
Oh good lord...I have no idea what I'm doing...
"O-Oh! A-Awen! Good to, um, s-see you again..." Marshall said, sucking in his stomach and wondering why he didn't bother to bring a shirt. At least then he could hide his stomach area a little. The stutter wasn't helping the self-conscious Penguin boy either.
"Who were you, um, t-talking to?" Awen was startled by the surrised cry fro mteh shore. She jumped and turned towards him. "Oh, oh!" The red on her very white cheeks was a tad more appearent than that on the dark bill.
"I uh..oh..." She gave a nervous chuckle. By god, this was going to sound insane... "I was...following this fish... he was sort of..uh.. spunky, you know? And then I was jsut watching him when this huge fish came by... slowly crawling closer. I thought the little guy was a goner! But just in the nick of time he sprang into action and they both...raced off down the river..." Her explaination became more animated as she spoke. The end however was rather pathetic as she ended with a weak smile.
"Uh... sorry to startle you... I didn't think anyone would be...there."Marshall followed the story intently. "Ohh...Like...An epic struggle for survival?" Marshall said, as if he just realised some thing amazing. His face dropped, however, the second that left his beak.
...WHAT?!?! THAT IS THE LAMEST THING I'VE EVER SAID! AHH! SHE PROBABLY THINKS YOUR SOME SORT OF CREEPY MORON NOW!
Marshall's beak turned an ever darker shade of red as he turned away, pretending to be interested in the trees. However, his face being flushed wasn't only from his embarassment; he couldn't help but feel like every thing was getting warmer. "Yeah!" She said and her face lit up. That sounds so much more sophiticated than what she had said... "Epic struggle for survival alright." She frowned however when Marshall turned away. Yeah... she'd made an a** of herself alright. She ran her fingers through the water with a silent sigh. Her time in the waters was sure making her so socially inept. "S-So...Um...Awen..." Marshall asked with a weak smile, "Think maybe the Fish...Got back to his home? Safely?" Marshall asked, actually rather curious about their fish. He probably had a tiny fish house with a fish wife and kids. Or at least, thats how the mind of a cartoonist would take that.
He rubbed his temple, not feeling very well, but trying his best not to show it.
Its hot...Its too damn hot... She chuckled and looked back up to the penguin. "I hope so..." She said with a small smile. She really was rooting for that little guy, as weird as it sounded to root for a fish.
Her brow furrowed as she looked at her friend. "Hey... you okay?""Y-Yeah...I'm...Not." Marshall said, his head low as he rubbed his temples. Oh lord, it was just so hot! He swore he felt like his skin was going to just melt off, and the trees would just burst into flame! Why wasn't Awen feeling this heat?!
He tried to stand up, only finding an excrutiating pain. Finally, he realised what was happening:
It was his fourth change.
It was his last change.
He let out a scream of pain as his entire body shifted, his legs shortening (or was his torso just expanding), but either way he would offically have the lower center of gravity Penguins were famous for.
"Aaaarrrggghh!!!" Why do all the birds change infront of her? Awen rushed out of the water as fast as her flippers could. She moved very near, but not quite at Marshall. She didn't want to hurt him, and she didn't want to get hurt by him flailing.
"Oh gosh.. Marshall.... You'll be okay... deep breaths...""Ah...AAAHH!!" Marshall cried, shutting his eyes. It hurt so bad, and it was so damn hot...He couldn't stand it. He was going to die. This was it. He'd have a small tombstone saying "Death by Complications". This was it, this was the big one!
His hands were slowly forming, what was left of his thumbs fusing with the rest of his hand. And he just felt some thing heavy on his abdomen, as if he was gaining weight from nothing. And he couldn't believe how strong the heat was. Every thing was going dizzy. He was going to die, he knew he was going to die!
...And then? It was over. Marshall lied there, panting heavily, eyes still shut. But it was over.
And he was alive. When the bird went still Awen paused. She shuddered a bit. Was it really over? Last time she thought it was over....more blood happened with Miller.... She sighed softly and moved closer.
"Marshall...?" She asked tentatively as she kneeled down beside him. She smiled wearily and reached out to hold him. "You're....you're okay..."Marshall was still panting, eyes still shut even though it was over. He didn't cry this time though. He might have screamed, but he could still say he didn't cry.
"Yeah...Yeah...I'm...Okay..." Marshall said between gasps, "I'm okay...I'm really okay..." he said, trying to catch his breath but being almost unable too. It was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders (and probably moved down to his midsection). The fear of dying from his transformations were done.
"Hee hee...I'm better than okay...I'm...I'm great..." Marshall said, looking up at Awen, "...I'm really great." Great? Oh no.. the boy must be delirious! Awen put a webbed hand to his forehead to check his temperature. She never had thought of it before but a penguin in the steamy jungle wouldn't be really comfy....
"Well...at least it was a short one...eh?" Was all she could offer that and her smile. "And they're over...""Yeah...They're over..." Marshall agreed with a dreamy look on his face. With out warning, much to the surprise of Marshall himself, he found himself throwing his webbed arms, or better to say flippers I suppose, around Awen's midsection. He needed the physical contact for comfort, what can I say?
"I'm honestly, truely...Great...Awen..." he said, not looking up, "...Awen...I was wondering...If you'd like to hang out with me...Just the two of us..." he said, feeling light-headed and looking half asleep. Awen squeezed the penguin close. She really wished someone would have been able to hold her after one of her changes.
But at his question she blinked. Was.... what exactly was he asking? Did he.... or was it... just... No, no. Just friends. It was always just friends. She forced a small laugh. "Well what do you think we're doing now, eh?""...Heh heh...Yeah...But...Thats not what I...Meant..." Marshall's eyes were half closed, and his vision was going blurry. His last change zapped him pretty much any energy he had; he needed sleep.
"...I like you...Awen..." he said, letting go of his grip, "...I really...Do." he said, before passing out.
...I survived...I know I can do any thing now...'Cause I survived... Awen was once again caught speechless. She blinked as she tried to figure out a reply... but the penguin seemed out cold so it didn't look like it would make a difference.
He... liked her? The manta ray sighed and shook her head. Naw.. Marshall was just...delirious from the change... He didn't know what he was saying...
"Well.... can't just stay out here...."
Awen set to drag the penguin into the river, hoping it would wake him up. When that failed, she pulled him back to her duplex. She didn't know where else to go and it had the easiest access for her. She laid him on the floor of her room and just waited in her pool for him to wake up.
She hoped he would wake up. Did people normally pass out after their changes?It was a few hours until Marshall finally awoke. He felt groggy, heavy, and as if he had been run over by a semi-truck.
At least I'm alive... he thought, staring at the ceiling. But some thing felt...Off. Really off. He looked around, noticing his bulletins and posters weren't lining the walls. And that his DVDs were littering the floor. And, of course, there was the little matter of half of the room being underwater.
"...You think I'd notice that first..." Marshall said to himself, before looking around in a panic.
Oh lord...Where the hell am I?! Awen perked up and smiled. Marshall was awake! "Noticed what?"
It was good that the penguin was awake. She'd started to be getting really worried. But it was okay, wasn't it? He was awake and all should be fine..."GAH! Oh...Awen...Heh heh...Y'think I would've noticed you were here as well..." Marshall said, rubbing the back of his neck, "And um...The duplex...Its half underwater. Cool, yes, but...Not how I remember leaving my house, y'know?" She chuckled. "Yeah I get cha."
She pulled herself from teh water and sat on the edge of the pool leaning over to Marshall. "You passed out after your changes, you've been out for a few hours.... are you okay now?""Yeah...I'm feeling pretty good. Heck, I feel gre-"
I'm honestly, truely...Great...Awen...Awen...I like you...
Marshall's eyes grew wide and his black face turned inexplicably red. He needed to get out of here! He told a girl, one that he pretty much didn't even know that he liked her! Mind you, he was in a post-transformation daze and probably had no idea what he was saying, but damnit he said it!
"Um...Uh...S-So, um, uh, ummm...Nice place!" Marshall blurted out. Awen felt the tension build. She rolled her shoulders and chuckled a little bit. Did he remember what he's said? He... hadn't meant it and now he's getting all awkward. "Yeah... it gets me by anyway. Ingenious that the labs made these things. Really saves my bacon.""Oh..." Marshall said, glancing around. She didn't seem mad about him telling her that he might like her, but even still it was probably best to just not bring it up. "S-So Awen...Um...You got one of those...Playstation 3s, right?" Her face brightened slightly. "Yeah it's by the TV. You can play it if you'd like!"
She paused a moment and sighed. "Listen... Marshall.. uh... you said some things. Before you passed out.... I understand that you were..um..stressed... if you want me to forget about it... just say so, eh?""HUH?!" Marshall was beet-red, forgetting about the Playstation 3.
Crap! I really did tell her that I like her! CRAP!
"Well...Um...Uh..." Marshall stammered, rubbing the back of his neck, "Well...Um...A-Awen, y'see, um...I-I-I like you! I really do! But...Its just...I don't really know you that well...And you don't really know me...Its just...That one time we went swimming together? I um...Thought..." he couldn't keep eye contact with her, it was just too embarrassing, "...I thought you were beautiful..."
"I-I should go." Marshall said, getting to his feet and heading towards the door.
MORON!!! When Marshall started making excuses saying they didn't really know eachother Awen lowered her head. She knew it was true but it was sort of nice...to be liked. The prospect had made her heart leap, even though her head knew it was unrealistic.
But he thought she was beautiful.
"I... I know we don't know eachother....very well...." She slowly lifted her eyes to look at him again. "But no one else has ever called me beautiful... Not since..." She raised her hand and slowly wiggled her fingers.
"You're sweet Marshall. And I think the penguin look suits you.... You..." She shook her head. "Never mind... maybe I'm just getting a little..lonely."Marshall stopped in his tracks. He didn't turn around. She had seen him blush too many times today; he didn't want her to start thinking he was some thing lame or some thing.
"...Maybe...We could get to know each other better over...Dinner? Some time?"
...Who said that? I didn't say that. Did I say that?! I DIDN'T SAY THAT! "Dinner?" She asked a little surprised. She smiled softly. "That...sounds great!"
The girl briefly thought of her first dinner with Sabin, and what that had meant fr her. Hope and then disappointment. And she couldn't ignore her still festering feelings for the silken voiced french man. Even if she knew it would never achieve anything. The feelings were there. But getting to knoew this penguin...maybe it could.. change that."R-Really?!" Marshall said, spinning around, losing any sort of "cool" he had.
"O-Okay! So, um, its a D-date!" Marshall stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck with an odd sort of smile on his face.
"Well, um...I should...Probably get going...But, um, I'll call you and we could set up or da- Dinner! I mean dinner..." Marshall said cheerfully.
...Its gone now...My humanity is gone. All gone. But...I think I'm okay with it...I really am...'cause while my Humanity is gone...
There was some awkward dialouge, but nothing worth mentioning. Marshall eventually left, looking up at the sky with a strange smile on his face.
...I think I found some courage...Maybe...
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:31 pm
Strange Encounter With a Strange Critter He’d stumbled out of Seth’s territory and was nearing the lake. Jordan was delirious from hunger. His limping walk staggered from side to side, as he was on the verge of collapse. He was suffering from a lack of energy. It was a miracle that he hadn’t just fallen over and collapsed where he was, but Jordan had become even more stubborn than he ever was. He’d become too dignified to collapse and lie dead.
It’d been four days since his last meal, when he’d ripped apart that rabbit and had given a portion to a more feral Lauren. For the past two weeks he wouldn’t accept handouts from anyone: labs, islanders, anyone. He’d rather starve than rely on anyone. Only the strong survived and the weak begged for scraps. The disruption to his regular diet had caused him to lose weight rapidly as his body had gone into starvation mode. His body was literally going to kill itself if this continued.
He was more canine than ever now. His latest change had left him a monstrous disfiguration of a quadrapedal
creature wanting to be put out of his misery. He limped because the sixth leg had yet to grow to match the fifth, middle leg that had emerged from his torso months ago. The long, flowing locks had been chopped off recently with nothing more than a steak knife, leaving his now blonde hair short and wild, sticking out every which way. Since he was now residing in a rotted, hollow log in the jungle he stank to high heaven of unclean and wet dog. There was an unsettling look of festering madness in his eyes. He was really losing it these days. Awen was smiling happily to herself as she floated on top of the water of the lake. She stared up at the moon and the stars thinking that maybe things had started to finally go her way. She blushed a little bit thinking of her upcoming date with Marshall, not really a date-date but at the very least a little bit more of a get-to-know-you session. She couldn't believe that that penguin had thought her beautiful...and liked her enough to at least try this out. His change had been a little scary, but at least it was over for the both of them now.
The manta ray's good mood was put on pause as she saw a strange creature loping around the lake. The movements were rough, and sluggish and by the way the creature's weight was carried something must have been wrong with it.
But what the hell was it? Awen swam slowly closer to the critter, quietly as she could. She was nearing the shore but just close enough to rest her flippers on the sloping bottom of the lake. She narrowed her eyes to peer at the being trying to figure out what... or she supposed who was more appropriate.... it was.
A slow thought started to worm it's way into her head. But she wasn't entirely sure just yet...
"J-jordan....?"Jordan was too out of it to really know where the voice had come from, nor had he much capacity to recognize the voice. A soft growl came in response. He couldn’t muster much more than a pathetic growl of a wounded animal and it wasn’t as intimidating as it was desperate. He didn’t have the strength to interact with others. He wanted to be alone, to strengthen himself past his current weaknesses. He was panting raggedly, out of breath the closer he got. He didn’t know where he wanted to be, nor how much farther his body was going to take him.
Barring the voice that had called his name, he continued a soft growling as he turned himself awkwardly towards the water. Everything was semi-blurred as he squinted in the darkness. He looked like he’d seen better days as he lowered himself onto his legs in a crouching sit and dipped his face down, plunging his muzzle into the cold water. He recoiled as he’d scared himself, not seeing how close he had been exactly to the water. Jordan had sprung up too quickly and his off-balanced body wobbled precariously.
His forepaws had been too close to the softer muddy ground and his footing was lost. With a mighty splash, Jordan fell in yelping as he thrashed. He was too weak to swim back to the surface or even hold himself up as he gasp bubbles on the muddy bottom. Without a real intelligable responce the manta had stayed away from the feral critter. As he turned and approched Awen saw more of him and it was unmistakably Jordan. And he was...drowning.
Awen shook her head and gritted her teeth. "Why the hell can't things just stay happy for a little while before going to s**t!?"
Darting towards the poor dog Awen planed her move carfully. At the right moment she grabbed the dog under one of his once-human arms with the other wrapping around his chest between the two sets of forepaws.
With a few kicks she dragged the struggling dog out to the extreme shallows and once there even tried to drag him until he wasn't even touching the water. Failing in the last bit, of course, as out of the water Jordan was much heavier than the manta could handle.
"Easy there...eeeaaasssyyy..." She cooed in his ear. "You're alright, you're alright...."He gasped for breath, expelling the small bit of water he swallowed the wrong way. He was shivering in fear. He could have drown, but he hadn’t and for that he was grateful. He was whimpering from his near-death experience. The soothing words of her sweet voice hit his ears and he settled down. Awen had been strong enough to pull his lunky body to safety. He was struggling to see the form of Awen that was coming into brief clarity. Awen… had saved him.
He opened his muzzle. The words were there. He just needed to form them clearly. He didn’t want to sound so pathetic infront of his friend. No one who hated him would have bothered to pull him ashore. “Aw----eeeen..” he had to speak slowly to make the proper sounds come out from his half-muzzle. “Eeeeeez… that… you?” Four words had been so difficult to say. His tail wagged, happy to see her. “Ah.. sleeped.. buhd y—uuuuo shaved meh from drown—eeng.” Okay, so it was a lot harder to maintain the vocal control for too long before it slipped back into butchered language.
He struggled to lift his right forepaw, reaching out weakly for her hand, squeezing it gently. In that moment, her smiled. A genuine smile had finally broke on the surface of that half-muzzle, as facial expressions upon his muzzle had become impossible since last changing. “I… wanted.. tah s-aaa-ve you.. that time… I wanted.. to be your hero… I've always... wanted to be your hero..” Awen smiled slightly and squeezed his hand back. She stroked his hair softly, but a smile was not present on her features. More of a conscerned frown. "Jordan... are you alright? You look half dead...."
She sighed softly and continued stroking his hair. "Recent change was it hun? You'll be okay..."His soggy tail wagged a bit more as she stroked over his hair. He nodded to the comment on his change, but refrained from going into it. That never resulted positively. “Ah’ve been.. liii-veeng in theh wi--old.” He got out with difficulty. He barely had the energy to remain conscious, but he was determined to tell his savior things. “Two.. weeks.. try.. hunting..” it was like a bad translation or that maybe something was missing in translation, but he thought he was getting the message through. “No labs.. no help.. want.. to be shtronger.. on mah own..” And from the looks of it, he wasn't a successful hunter. Awen huffed a little bit and let Jordan slip to the ground again. She took her hands away and shook her head. "Wait here for a minute.. you silly pup..."
The manta girl couldn't begin to imagine what he'd been doing for the last two weeks but it certainly hadn't been eating. With this in mind she dove back into the waters. For a short time all was silent.
When the manta reappeared she held two moderate sized fish. She returned to Jordan's side and flopped them down beside him.
"You need food, so have at them." She said softly. "I know you don't want help.. but you won't get stronger if you don't eat... and it doesn't look like you have been. Strength is also having the knowledge to know when you need help, to know when you have to make a compromise and lean on someone else for a bit. I won't tell anyone, but you really need this Jordan..."Awen listened with a compassionate ear. Gay, was he? The manta never would have guess it. But she understood well his torment and the loneliness that consumed him. She wanted nothing more than to hold him in her arms and make everything better for him. She'd been hurt, scorned, used and forgotten and just plain used. Momentarily her convorsation with Marshall vanished from her memories and the sinking crushing feeling that was being alone truly sunk into her heart again.
She shut her eyes tight as the tears started to swell up, rushing to be free. She pushed the fish closer to Jordan.
"I already ate, they're of no use to me. They're dying anyway. Eat them. You deserve life Jordan..." Her voice was a little harsh, a little ragged, but that was to be expected really.
She opened her eyes once more to look at the dog, the wicked wretch infront of her. Though still shimmering with wetness her eyes no longer were a dam ready to burst.
"You hurt her... but you can't help how you feel, what you're attracted to..." She said softly. "You like the feeling of being held, you like the feeling like someone cares for you... but if you just take that feeling from whoever will give it.. desperately nipping at scraps of a relationship for anyone willing... then it's not fair to either of those involved. If you're gay, you're gay. You cannot help that. You made a mistake... but we all make mistakes. In your weakness, in yor loneliness you grabbed at what you could get your hands on... and she happened to be of the wrong sex. At first you didn't care, you held on because you wanted to be loved, you wanted to be held and comforted through a horrific time of your life.... that's normal Jordan... I did..." She gave a small pause and thought once more of Marshall... was she just grasping for that comfort...? "Maybe I'm still doing that same thing.... I don't know.... But just... try not to beat yourself up about it...."
She pushed the fish again towards the dog. "Now...eat damn you."Awen gave a small sigh, patted his head a little bit and gave a sad smile. "It's never easy... I didn't say you should just stop hurting right now... I'm just saying that you had reason for your action... rationalising things often makes them easier to get over, but it still takes time."
She gave a small chuckle and shook her head. "Jordan, I told you I'm going to always be your friend. That means no matter what." There was a small pause before a sigh escaped her lips. "But just because I'm your friend... doesn't mean I'm going to let you hurt people if you went too far into the lab mentality. If it came to the point that you were a danger to others... then I will try to stop you." Not that a manta with little to no prowess out of the water could do much against the multi-legged dog with sharp teeth. Once his changes were done anyway.
"You're my friend... I care about you. That won't ever change. But if it comes down to it, if I have to fight you... I will."
A small quake rumbled through the manta's body before a bright smile moved to her lips. "But! It doesn't seem like we're in any danger of that anymore.. with your well...going into the wild and all."
She wrapped her arms around the dog and gave him a squeeze.http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=9372531&page=1((yeah I got lazy))
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