Welcome to Gaia! ::

Kikue's eyes widened. Now here was something she had never expected to hear. The idea of leaving everything because of being 'forced' to go to university had never even hit her as an option. University was something she had aspired to; had worked for. Cram school for exams and entrance tests was standard fare for Kikue's once-upon-a-time schedule. She had trouble grasping the concept of being forced into higher education at all.

"...You didn't want to go to university?" she questioned, confused. Not that she wasn't aware there were many people who simply loathed school. But university -- hating it, dreading it? Dreading the entrance exams, probably, but to not want to go at all was simply alien to her.

"How did you get the money to go on a vacation that ended up being this Island?" Her question was more thoughtful than accusing. She tilted her head again. People never stopped surprising her.

As a matter of fact, Kikue found "X equals" to be one of the more interesting things in life, besides her music. She raised an eyebrow at his easy dismissal of the university curriculum. There was a bit of a faint smirk to her expression, but she let him continue. She wasn't one to initiate debates on purpose. She found it all to be quite amusing, really.

The catch about Feral Labs made her ears droop. "...So...it was a medical promotion. And you were already fairly close to the Island, being where you were -- at least, we're somewhere in those waters, I think." She frowned. The labs would have to be careful about netting tourists, or anyone that might be noticed if they went missing...but random locals, and people who were already trying to disappear? Prime targets, no doubt.

She sighed heavily. "The scope of this project is huge..."

Kikue blinked at the sudden topic change. She kept her thoughts to herself, but mulled over the Labs' ideas about how snare people and bring them into the project. If they were as far as Tokyo, they could -- and probably were -- just about anywhere. Wasn't money an issue for these people? No...it can't be...whatever is fueling this project financially doesn't seem to have any end in sight...they just keep going, and who knows how much even one serum costs. It must be a huge amount of money...

Kikue scratched the back of her neck, the sharp claws finally serving some purpose in that regard. The fur over her body was so thick that she needed them, now. "...Well, I...I don't do very well outside..." She gave him a bit of a sheepish smile, choosing not to elaborate. Even getting to his duplex had meant going out into the tropical heat for the briefest of moments, which was painful.

Kikue sighed. "Yes...it's the heat...I can't stay out very long at all...it's why I have to keep my duplex so cold...even more now because of..." She gestured silently at the fur that now covered every inch of her body. Forcing a smile, she tried not to think how much she hated the feeling of panting once it was too much to bear. The overheating made her do it without thinking.

"I find that most other people tend to get uncomfortable with the level of cold that I need..." She gave a nervous laugh, remembering Zach's shivering the first and only time that he had come into her duplex. Placing her paws on top of each other, she bowed Japanese-style to Miller, in thanks mostly for his concern. "It's all right...I find there are things for me to do in my duplex...but I don't know what will happen with my last change...I suppose they'll have to find some way to make snow." The forced smile on her face was easy to see through, but she could find no other way to lighten the mood. She rarely ever left her room, as much as it would drive the cat in her crazy. Once she stepped outside, even the cat would rather go back in. And then just become restless again.

Kikue put a paw on her bracelet, smiling as if to herself. "It might..." She knew it wouldn't. They were on a tropical island; the most this place would get was most likely heavy rain. But the thought of being stuck in some exhibit, just to be able to be at peace with this animal that was her now...it made her feel sick. Would they stick her in a huge room with snow and rocks and high places, so that she wouldn't go insane? And throw in small animals every now and then? Gods it made her feel ill. But where could she go? She wanted high, open places...cold places...but there were none...

She had ventured out long enough to kill a rabbit. At least then she could forget, even when she was panting and eating the thing. Maybe if it had been some at that lived in the heat...

What a ridiculous thought.

She licked one of her paws, because it distracted her. Even though it was embarrassing to do it. There was nothing else for it.

Kikue stopped with her tongue mostly out of her mouth. She stopped cleaning herself to smile again. "It's okay," she said softly, with that smile. "I don't think there's anything. If I just try to listen to these instincts that I have and not try to argue with what I need now, I can get through the day..." Almost. But the cat, it wanted out. It wanted to look out over things...high places, cold places, mountain places. Staying inside was cold enough, but there was nothing to look out over. Nothing to breathe...

She shook herself. She kept falling into the thoughts. The smile was forced again. "Thank you for the present... I'll probably just go back to my room... Maybe, one day, you can come over again and watch some of the things I brought with me..."

Kikue laughed a little, finding the comment about the computer funny. She had one, but almost only did work on it...work for the database, or other things she called 'work' but knew they had no meaning. "Okay...that is fine..." Her ears instinctively went back against her skull, knowing the heat was out there. She stood up, crossing her paws, she was ready to go back to where it was cold.