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 Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:32 pm
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:01 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:13 pm
Dog Days of Summer Ambrose meets Pyroth at 100% Pyroth had been acting odd since his transformation, zoned out almost entirely half the time and wandering the village like a stray dog. He hadn't even looked in a mirror yet or anything, just tried to ignore the fact he couldn't walk on two legs no matter how hard he tried and that now he was all but disabled in trying to do things which would have come easy to him, like opening a door or sitting at a table properly. Today he was just sitting outside the rows of duplexes, unsure what to do or where to go. There wasn't much he /could/ do like this. Before he'd have gone on a hunt but he wasn't allowing himself anything like that anymore. No, he was human. Human. Humans didn't hunt.
Ambrose was on the last leg of the walk back from the laboratories, still feeling a bit disgruntled at his abrupt 'kidnapping' for trying to be a friend to Amaya. Granted, he had learned some interesting information from Dr. Frost.... but despite her encouraging words at the end and the fact that the 'reprimand' had ended on a positive note, he still felt chaffed at being scolded like a child and pointedly ingored for the first part of the talk. He had opted to walk back to the village instead of being driven - he needed the excercize and didn't particularly want to be around the staff any longer than need be after that encounter.
As he stepped off the road and into the village square a familiar scent caught his nose. Ah, finally something positive. His ears priced and his tail began wagging as he followed it, imaginging having a good old fashioned complaining session with his Coyote friend... only to round the corner and stop dead as he saw .... he could only imagine that it was Pyroth...
"Pyroth...??" Ambrose's breath caught in his throat. He didn't MEAN to stare... but... he was a coyote... on all fours... no hair, no hands... an animal. Ambrose had a stark white fear that maybe he couldn't even talk anymore... didn't think....
All of the optimism after seeing Amaya was quenched like a match under an industrial-strength fire-extinguisher.
Pyroth snapped around in surprise as Ambrose spoke, his senses much more highly strung now than they had ever been. He actually had to mentally ignore the urge to run away or snarl at the approach of what his brain instantly deemed a threat. After a second's hesitation he returned to a state of relative calm, wagging his tail in greeting of the wolf man. He gave him an almost apologetic grin and sat down, ears back.
"Hey Ambrose." he looked away
"In case it's not immediately obvious, I changed again. Guess the last injection, in my case anyway, wasn't a fixative." His stomach felt twisted his whole body tense, he didn't like hearing himself speak so frankly about being entirely canine in shape, it /was/ a big deal, he just had to fully realise it. As things were it seemed like a bad dream, something that would pass in the end, that would leave him with his hands again.
"Sorry for sounding snappish, it's not directed at you."
Ambrose's ears flattened at the snarl and he took an inadvertant step back, fear escalating at the hostile initial greeting - but not fear of Pyroth, but fear of what he represented. When Pyroth settled down, however, Ambrose let himself breathe a sigh of relief.
"Pyroth..." He spoke softly, stepping forward and kneeling down, extending a hand tentatively as someone does with an unfamiliar dog. "I'm so sorry... I.... I had no idea... I saw Amaya changed... her last one... so I had a feeling there was a last change... but I had no idea it would go this far..."
"Me neither." he said. "I mean, I had my doubts, but everyone does on the island, and I figured that perhaps they were ill founded, maybe they were just me over-reacting. Guess not." he shrugged as best he could. "Wonder if the lab intended this to happen to me or if I was just one of the unlucky ones." He nodded to Ambrose "But seriously I should be the sorry one here, there can't be much worse than seeing the only other canine as far along as you hit this state." he gave Ambrose another tail wag "But who knows, if it was a mistake, they might fix it for your serum."
Deciding to try and change the subject just briefly he asked "Oh and before I forget, how did it go with Ange?"
He looked to the side, his fears were evident to the other canine - as well they should be. He... wasn't quite as far gone as Pyroth had been his last stage.... but Ambrose still didn't know how much more he could change without winding up like Pyroth... or arguably worse the form he was in last time where he couldn't stand up striaght OR on all fours very easily.
"Angelina...." He let a small flicker of happiness flit across his face. "IT went wonderfully - she said yes! I actually wanted to talk to you abou that....."
He hesitated.
"Last... I heard from the labs... they never intended us going further than... Amaya - still stand upright, still can use hands, voice.... but.... my serum's as old as yours is Pyroth... for all I know I might have the same fate in store for me." He shook his head, he must seem like an a*****e bemoning that his own future mightg possible be what Pyroth's was for certain. "But... regardless of what fate - or Moreau- has in store for me.... you are there, Pyroth... my god, is there anything I can do?"
Pyroth frowned darkly "I never did have much luck, guess that hasn't changed one bit since I left the mainland." he shook his head, again not letting himself sink into those dark thoughts he'd been avoiding lately by smoking more pot than ever. He gave Ambrose an honest look and added "Well I can't say for sure that you'll end up like this or that you won't, but there's still a chance you won't, after all, you can still stand upright now, I couldn't before. Maybe you will scrape past alright." At the man's offer of help, he looked away almost guiltily. "Well yes, there is something." Damn, he hated being brought so low, his independence taken from him. "Could you open my duplex door for me? I uhm..can't."
He held up one of his paws, spreading the digits slightly. "I can still do some things, I have bit of mobility but yes, nothing as complex as locks or handles."
He gave Ambrose a hearty tailwag and canine grin for his luck with Angelina though. "Congratulations though. Good to know some good things still happen around here."
"Maybe..." Ambrose said dubiously. Ambrose wasn't about to count his blessings before knowing for certain. "regardless... I'll find out in a few days." Ambrose said darkly aside. THat doomsday clock begining to tick again in his heart. How long would he be able to still stand like a man... still be recognized as a sentient being at first glance?
"Ye... yeah, sure, man..." Ambrose commented hollowly as he opened the door for the man.
"And really.. not even doors? Maybe with practice? I mean... you've still got thumbs?" Ambrose gave a wincing, toothy smile.
"Thanks... I just wish that the news came with better tidings." Ambrose strolled in after Pyroth, hoping that he wasn't overstepping his welcome. But his eyes as he watched pyroth move about on all fours, hardly distinguishable from a wild animal pulled at his nerves.
Pyroth shook his head "Maybe with practice, though at the moment I'm not inclined to try." he felt sick just thinking about having to learn to open doors like a trained animal, something for people to marvel at. He just wanted to be able to do what he could before, before everything fell apart. He blinked once, recalling something else Ambrose said. "A few days? Damn. All the luck to you Am, seriously, I'll be rooting for you." he wasn't so selfish as to wish what he'd gone through on anyone else, especially not a man who'd only just gotten engaged. Not in a million years.
He padded into the duplex for the first time since his transformation and hopped up onto his bed to sit, his brush of a tail resting over his forepaws, at least this way he was at a more acceptable height for chatting, he didn't much like having to look up at everyone.
"To be honest, I haven't thought about it right, nor seen how I look, I don't want to." He was making a definate effort to avoid even catching so much as a glimpse of himself in any of the duplexes mirrors. "I was in the cafeteria when I changed unfortunately. I think I scared the blonde guy..Avery?"
He nodded with a bitter smile. "Thanks.. There's no way of knowing what will happen from what I can tell.... other than now it's pretty obvious that something will."
He snagged the chair and pulled it up to the side of the bed, spinning it around to sit in backwards - it was easier on the tail.
"Avery...?" Ambrose searched his memory. "Avery... that's right... I heard about him... turning into a dog of some sort isnt he? Oh.... yeah.... us canines have to stick together, huh?" Ambrose winced. "It's hard to face the mirrors after a change, no matter which one it is. But..... at the least... you're done now.. you can get used to what you look like and .... form some sort of self identity maybe?" He shrugged. "And.... at least you're a mammal... though these words probably don't sound too encouraging. None of us have it 'easy'.... loosing your face, how other people see you..."
"How... do you feel...? Does... it hurt? I mean... you still seem sapient? You can think, you're yourself in your mind."
"Yeah, I was talking to Antony about that, I mean, I'm lucky in that I'm still a mammal, still have four limbs, eyes, a nose and whatnot, and at least it's over. But it's going to be really hard adapting, getting used to having paws, to being treated like a canine over a human - people do it without thinking - and to basically not even being me anymore. Whatever identity I have now is so far from who I was I don't even remember the old me." he flicked his ears back anxiously. "As for how I feel, everything instinct-wise is a lot more potent, I lick people I'm happy to see, growl when I'm surprised and generally can't stop myself from doing those things. And that's with me staying strictly in the civilised areas of the island, I refuse to go out into the jungle."
He frowned "The transformation, I won't lie, was the most painful one I experienced but it faded quickly. I actually feel in much less pain now than I did before. I mean before I was somewhere between, at least now I'm in a body that fits, wether or not it was mine to begin with." He was trying to stay positive on the changes, think of the positive things over the bad. "But on the whole I'm sure I'll just deal with it like I did before. It's an adventure I suppose. Pfft."
He looked down towards his feet. "Don't say that... I mean... you're still you. Sure, what's happened to you, the time on this island away from the rest of the world has changed you, but every sort of situation can change a person, but it doesn't make them a different person altogether. I mean... I know how you feel about the instincts.... I do them too... but the things that I felt were important - I still do. I remember what life was like back in Massachusettes. I remember the thrill of the fencing duel, my parents.... I still want to be a good person. And I don't think wherever I am - be it in my duplex or in the jungle... will change that. But... I'm with you... I don't want to be, or even seen as an animal. I know... how important what you look like can effect what others think of you... and it scares me to think how new people to this island view me - or will view me after whatever happens to me next time happens. I guess I'm glad I still have a photograph of what I looked like before. Maybe... you could ask the labs, see if they could take a stillframe from all those cameras to send to you. A memory if nothing else, or something you could show to others to say "this is the real me.""
He nodded slowly. He knew the pain of the transformations... but Pyroth was right... at least they faded. The pain wasn't what scared him the most.
"That's true I guess, I probably would have changed a bit no matter where I was. Maybe even being here has changed me for the better, made me deal with things I would never have experienced before, meet people I never would have. I mean the other islanders, at least the ones I've known for a while are about the closest I've ever gotten to an extended family, we are stuck here, all going through the same thing, that can pull people together." he grinned "But yes, I might ask for a set of pictures, just to remind me who I was and who I am now." he actually felt heartened by the wolfman's words. "I mean If I think of it that way I could always make an attempt at forging a new identity for myself, just take this shape in my stride, show the labs they can't shake the human out us."
It was a grand plan but it would give him something to aim for. "And either way, at least there are islanders who remember what I was once like, that's good enough for me."
"I've never had friends as close as those that I've made here either." Ambrose agreed. "As bad as everything is... I'm glad I met you, and Amaya and Colche and Cody and Vasile and Thom... and many other people... it really is more like a family who cares about eachother than anything I had back home. I just wish that circumstances weren't as bad. But who knows... if they weren't, perhaps the group of us wouldn't be so close."
Ambrose nodded to Pyroth's words. "I... don't know if Moreau was deceiving her as well to get to work for him..." he said first as a disclaimer, "But I ... spoke with a new doctor at the labs, Dr. Frost... she said that maybe someday, assuming that none of us pose a threat and can maintain our humanity, that maybe someday we'll be able to go home... I... I don't know how good of an option that is for many of us.... or if it's even true... but I thought I'd pass that on. I think that you're still very much human, Pyroth - more so than many of the sheep I knew back in High School." He gave a small smile.
"And.... I might as well take this opportunity to ask... whenever we are able to set a date... I'd love to have you as one of my groomsmen, Pyroth... if you would?"
Pyroth gave the other man a wag of his tail and nodded "Indeed, I'm glad of all the allies I've made on this island. I guess adversity breeds lasting friendships after all." Another boost to his mood was the prospect of someday returning home, he might be far from human but he didn't doubt that if he ever met Khan again, he'd see it just as some super body mod, something to show off rather than dislike and revile. "It's something to bear in mind, at least in the outside world, freaks or not, we'd be free."
He couldn't help but laugh at the mental image Ambrose's next request conjured up in his mind. "You aren't pulling my leg? Of course I would, provided, of course.." he said with an amused smile "I can somehow get myself some formal wear that fits the occaision." he smirked "I'll tell you something, it will be a wedding to remember, none like it anywhere in the world."
Ambrose's muzzle fell open in a wide grin. "No joke! And wonderful, Pyroth! I would love to have you there - and I'm sure we can figure something out - a nice jacket and tie or bowtie, you could look right proper." He grinned, playfully punching his shoulder... area as his own tail began to wag heartily.
"And it is something to think about... even if... it's not true. It would be freedom of a sort. I just don't know if I could bear to face my parents if I ever did go back... I don't think that they'd understand... let alone the rest of the world. But... likely that's a long time coming if at all. And in the meantime... I'll try not to think of my next change, but think of the wedding instead. It will certainly be momentous."
Pyroth laughed "Just you wait, I'll out-dapper all of the other guests there. I'll be the most gentlemanly coyote anyone's met." this mental image cheered him up immensely, even his dour mood falling away in the prospect of some positivity. The more busy he kept himself, the less time he would spend dwelling on his state. "I don't envy the person assigned to outfit me for a wedding, though at the end of it no matter what they do I'll probably end up more cute than serious. I can deal." he cackled.
"Yeah, best not to dwell on things like that, crossing bridges as you come to them is the best way to be. I know I'll be looking forward to the wedding personally. Wow, for once actually looking forward to something, that's unusual here. Thankyou Ambrose for that at the very least."
The grin stayed on the wolfman's face. "Thank you, Pyroth... even though I came here with the intent of trying to help lift your spirits, I think you've helped me just as much. I'm looking forward to the wedding, I really am... I'm not going to let anything ruin that for me. And I'll look forward to having you there. I'm sure you will be the most dapper coyote I'll have ever seen... given your competition is Wyle E... that isn't saying a whole lot." He ruffled the fur on top of Pyroth's head teasingly.
"You know... you, me... Avery, Vasile.... us canines should get together sometime... play poker or something" he laughed "and see if we can help eachother out... commiserate."
Pyroth grinned in a playfully nonplussed manner at being compared to Wile E and in a typically canine "mess around gesture" made a feigned snap of his jaws at Ambroses' hand for ruffling his head, the equivalent of waving him off. "Bah, I'm a million times the coyote he was!" he erupted into laughter again "Well you certainly helped cheer me up from my moping, a grand feat for anyone."
"A poker game? It'd be like that old painting of the dogs playing cards. With an island twist."
Ambrose joined in a hearty laugh, letting the humor and break of tension pull his thoughts away from the fear of his fate. "Here here, I will agree to that. Though like Wyle E - I think you could still use a bit more meat on your bones. Do you still not eat more than once a week?" He poked him in the ribs.
"And precisely! Not that I think I'll have much of a poker face with these damned ears and tail... but it could be fun and a way to poke fun at ourselves."
"Nah, I'm just generally not hungry. If I eat more than that I end up feeling ill for the rest of the day, even in this shape. Admittedly I am eating /more/ than I did before, just only once a week. I don't want to add futher insult to injury by being a fat coyote." he smirked "But yeah, If someone at the labs gets me the reccomended amount to eat for a coyote of my mass, I'll eat it when I'm supposed to." he frowned. "But yeah if I end up looking like a furry barrel, I'm jumping into the sea." he smirked, not being too serious.
He smirked again "We'd all be at a disadvantage in that respect, the only one up we'd have on each other are vague differences in expressions cross species. And hey, who knows, afterwards we could go have a sing-song. Bet that would have the labtechs quaking in their cosy beds." Pyroth himself had always found the cries of foxes wolves and coyotes eerie and primal, all of them together? Terrifying.
"We'd no doubt make a fantastic choir."
"You know... a friend of my mom's had this ... yellow lab I think it was, Sparky, I swear it looked like the thing had swallowed a beer keg." Ambrose laughed, trying and failing to picture Pyroth as rotund as that dog had been. "But I don't think you could get like that unless you ate junk food all day."
Ambrose leaned forward in the chair, plopping his chin on the back of hte chair. "That would be quite an intersting sound... " He mused. "I've.... only actually howled a few times... nearly scared myself when I did."
Pyroth shook his head " No junk food for me if I can avoid it. I don't want to end up like Sparky."
He looked thoughtful "You haven't howled much? Bah, that's like having a new car and only driving it once or twice. I've howled a few times, though with me it sounds more like whooping, sobbing or something. It's fantastic stress relief though, never fails to make me feel better. I'm not that bothered with it, it's good for making as much noise as possible when you have to."
His mouth turned up in a smile. "Maybe... you're right. I suppose I'm a little self-conscious.... I mean howls can travel, I feel as if the whole island is listening... and judging me - making me less of a person. But you're right about the stress relief. I've let loose when I've been very depressed - it's just a way to bundle up all my fear and anger into one long wordless scream. I guess I was always raised not to make a stir, and that is precisely the opposite. But... it does feel good. wild... you know?" He scratched his arm with a shrug.
"Anyway... I should probably go check on Angelina... I wasn't expecting to be gone this long. I'm glad that you'll be at the wedding - I'll keep you posted about the suit." He patted him on the shoulder. "Hang in there, and if you ever want to talk, play poker.... 'sing'... come fetch me."
Pyroth gave the man a doggy wave "Good to know. I'll see you later on, take care and good luck. I'll be in touch."
Ambrose returned the wave and headed out, turning the deadbolt after he had opened the door, so that when it closed again it didn't shut all the way.
"Take care, friend!" He called out as he trotted out.
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Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:15 am
A Welcome Homecoming Ambrose was dog tired by the time he returned to his duplex late in the evening. After having a harrowing day with a streneous conversation with Amaya and facing his first completed transformation and being her shoulder and ecouragement.... facing Dr. Frost and her imposing demeanor... and finally meeting a frightening potential future, Pyroth's final change, hardly more than a talking dog.... By the ends of the conversations, thank god, he felt he had been a measure of encouragement to his friends... but his own nerves were strained. It seemed everything was happening so fast, and he felt like the vestiges of his humanity were on the chopping block and he could see his own fate looming ahead of him, with the added pressure from Dr. Frost to cling to his humanity.... he was more than ready to see Angelina's smiling face and welcoming arms again. WIthout bothering to knock, Ambrose stepped back into Duplex number one. Angelina was sitting on the bed, along with Vasile. Vasile had his back to her and Angelina was braiding his hair. The both stopped mid giggle and turned their head as Ambrose entered the room. "Hey Ambrose!' Angelina bound off the bed and embraced him, her tail wrapping around his leg as she kissed his cheek. Vasile looked a bit embarassed, waving hello as he tried to shake the braids out of his hair. Ambrose paused, caught offguard, but a bemused smile quickly spread across his face at the sight of the two of them giggling like teenage girls at a sleepover. He bent to give Angelina a better kiss before turning a tired grin to Vasile. "Hey..... Sorry I've been out so long.... Vasile - I didn't expect to find you here. DId you come to see me? I'd apologize to your keep you waiting.... but it appears that you've been suitably entertained." He gave Angelina a small, teasting pinch on her side. He walked across the room and sat down heavily on the bed, giving his paws a rest and leaned back, bracing his hands on the bed with a belabored sigh. Angelina shrugged, but gave Ambrose a smile. "We've been talking." Vasile stood up and shook Ambrose's hand. "Angelina told me the good news. Congrats. I like the rock." He gave a wink to Angie before turning a more warm, geiune smile to Ambrose, pulling him into a quick hug. Angelina nodded and wiggled her left hand to illustrate. Ambrose returned the hug briefly before scooting back on the bed to rest his back against the headboard. "Should I be worried then? Gossiping behind my back? I assure you, Vasile, nothing of the bad is true." He gave his friend a wink. "And the braides are quite becoming on you, let me say." He grinned. Vasile stuck out his tongue, shaking off the last of the braids and flipping his hair over his shoulder. "Not much to do about entertainment around here sometimes." Angelina snuggled close to him on the bed. "Isn't there something you wanted to ask him?" she queries, nudging him a bit. Ambrose paused for a moment before nodding with a grin. There had at least been some aspects of good news today, and that came in some of the invitations for roles in the upcoming wedding. "Vasile, as you know, we plan to be married soon." He gestured to Angelina's finger. "Now... we're not precisely sure when.... but when we do, I would be honored if you would be my best man." Vasile's face lifted, his tail taking a sudden jerk of excitement. "Really? You mean it?" Angelina nodded beside Ambrose proudly. "I'd LOVE to!" he exclaimed, clasping his hands infront of him. "I would never kid about such things, Vasile! And I can think of no 'better man' to assume the role." He clapped him on the shoulder. "You've been a great friend during all of this.. and I would be proud to have you by my side on the happiest day of my life." HIs tail thumped enthusiastically against the mattress. Vasile leanred forward in a near-pounce, embracing both of them with one arm around each of their necks. After they settled back down, Angelina turned back to Ambrose. "So where have you been all day?" Ambrose held both close to him, his spirits begining to lift - back home, amongst friends - who had not changed since he last saw them. "It.... is a very long story... It began with my visit to Amaya to invite her to be a bridesmaid - of which she was very enthusiastic - and helped lift her spirits. You should have seen the smile on her face and the twinkle in her eye... she's ah... completed her change you see.... And I think she needed someone to comfort her. And... that's just the begining..." "Amaya's finished?" Angelina asked. "How...does she look?" Vasile settled in on the chair, ears pricked forward, listening. "She.... looks very.... iguana-like. But... the important thing is that she can stand upright, she can speak, she has hands... and she seems perfectly mentally coherent. She honestly, despite her animalistic appearance and thicker build... was a great relief to me... .... Unlike Pyroth. He... He's changed too you see - I saw him on my way back from the labs - which... I'll get to in a moment - He changed as well. And.... unfortunately his story is not nearly as fortunate." His ears lay flat against his head. "He's.... how can I say this... he looks like a coyote. Had I seen him off the island, in a forest or a zoo or something, I likely would not be able to tell the difference save for the ghosts of his tattoos you can still see through his fur or the necklace around his neck. His... I think his forepaws are more flexible, but that's only if you look close. From what he said... the change is recent and he has yet to be able to face a mirror. And... at least he can talk and still think like himself.... but my god, it was terrifying. I mean... He's been on the island about the same amount of time as I had! For our middle stages we could have been brothers! I know he was further gone his last stage than I am now... but not really that much. I know Aubrey has said that this result was not intentional, but there is no way they could have refined the serum in the interem - I have been here at least as long as he has, and we're both canine! " He shook his head, rubbing his arms. "He... seems to be handling it well considering.... but he has yet to face himself. And when I told him he'd be welcome as one of my groomsmen he was flattered. I just.... I feel so bad for him, and I am sure I sound so selfish... but I'm scared that I might end the same... or any of us canines." He flashed Vasile a look, well aware of how far he was gone as well. "But at the same time, the danger for us is hypothetical.. where for him it is the fate he has to deal with, and I feel guilty for feeling so worried for my own hide." Vasile and Angelina both just kind of stared at Ambrose in shocked silence. When he finally finished, they exchanged hesitant glances at each other, almost daring the other to speak up first. Angelina was silent, but she placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. Vasile shifted uncomfortably in his chair, mulling things over. "You mean since we're canine... we're gonna end up just talking animals?" Ambrose shook his head quickly before running his hands through his hair. "I.... I don't know. I mean... Amaya didn't... Pyroth did... Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions, but it scared the hell out of me. Maybe I'm looking for patterns and maybe it has nothing to do with what I'm thinking... but Pyroth and I are both canine, and we're both have been on the island for about the same time. And both of us are almost as far gone as he was.... right? I know Aubrey said Pyroth was an anomaly... but there are only a few people 'finished' with teh change, so how do we know what's an anomaly and what is just ... what the serum does, you know?" Vasile curled his tail into his lap. "But what is there left for us to do? I mean... you look just like a wolf, except you walk on two legs..." Vasile swallowed. "And what about me? What else is there left? Hell, last change all that happened really was the muzzle and my feet..." Ambrose rolled his furry shoulders. "I... can't say. I wish I could. But... All I know is that the last injection isn't just a 'stablilization' like I thought it might have been." He gave a frightened laugh. "But... apparently my number is just about up.... I... should find out for myself the hard way in a few days." Angelina leaned her head against his shoulder comfortingly. Vasile gave a grimace. "Really?" He nodded. "I.... asked. I wanted to make sure it didn't... interfere with the wedding plans... suit measuring or... the day itself... maybe I shouldn't have asked... but I figured I needed to." "I... I don't know what to say? 'Good luck' I suppose..." Angelina turned Ambrose head towards him and kissed his nose. "You know I'm going to marry you no matter what." He wrapped his arms around Angelina, giving her cheek a long lick. "Good... that... I mean... I know you've said that... but even know that that is a possibility.... thank you. At the very least, I guess I'm reassured that Pyroth is still Pyroth... upstairs and all." He took a breath, nodding to Vasile. "You too, Vasile...." "Small blessings..." Vasile admitted, though he truely did think he'd rather be on all fours but still Vasile in the head, than to literally turn into an animal. "What happened them now?" Angelina said after a moment of silent. "Now that they are...done." "Amaya was... terrified about just that question." Ambrose said to Angelina. "But... well... someone for the labs kind of came for her while I was there... to check on her I think. She was terrified, freaking out that they were going to kill her or something because she was done. I wouldn't leave her because she was so frightened... they ended up... zapping me." He said indignantly. "I've never been zapped for doing anything before.... I woke up with some female doctor I hadn't seen before... I asked her about that... she said there was no reason to worry - that they're not going to... kill us or anything at least. Study the long term effects or some such. She said... and I honestly think that this might be Moreau's lies to her... that maybe someday we will be able to go home if we can prove we're not a danger... that we're still human where it counts..... I don't want to get my hopes up, though... I can't imagine Moreau being able to go public with this and not be arrested." "Thats just placating you," Vasile said. "No way he can get away with this." Angelina nodded. "I'm sure she was just bullshitting you. But it does make sense to study long term effects rather than just.. culling us. Something tells me thats something not even Lockheart could stand for, either." "I hope not. But... I do believe at least that much from Dr. Frost... I don't think they'd kill us. If they did, and if the others found out, they'd rebel - they'd have nothing at all to lose. But... I don't think I'm going to get my hopes up about leaving.... You're right, Vasile, there's no way Moreau could get away with it... even if we swore not to press charges or something like that. I don't know if it was her lying... or Moreau lying to her. If she's new to the job, it might very well be Moreau trying to make what he's doing here sound not nearly as.... inhumane." So if there was no chance for redemption, than as long as they didn't hurt anyone... no one would care if he had killed a rabbit in the jungle, right? And even IF there was that chance.... he was human enough in his actions... in his mind.... "Dr. Frost..." Angelina tilted her head. "Isn't that the doctor Lockheart warned you to stay away from?" Vasile's ear cocked forward, glancing to Ambrose questioningly. Ambrose's ears flicked back briefly. "I... didn't exactly have much choice. And besides... she seemed kind of... domineering.... but at least not overly antagonistic. I .... would give her the benefit of the doubt at least." He shrugged. "Dr. Lockheart didn't say anything other than she didn't trust her or know what medicine she was giving out... and at least she didn't give me anything." "Thats good at least," Aubrey said with a shrug. "I don't know... Lockhearts the only staff I trust. We got to talk a bit when I was running all my tests." Vasile upturned his nose just a bit. "Marlow can't stand her. She was the one who injected him." "I trust her" Ambrose rebutted Vasile. "At least as much as the staff go. I don't like Frost much.... but she didn't seem as bad as Moreau, at least. Not that that is saying much. But... it's been a long day. And the conversation with her almost felt like an interrogation than a 'chat'. I don't see why I should be reprimanded for sticking besides Amaya. It wasn't like I was physically in the way or anything.." He grumbled petulently. "No, that was a very nice thing for you to do," Angelina said, running her hands through the fur on his face. "And I'm sure it meant the world to Amaya." He smiled into her hands, nuzzling her, happy to be back 'home' by her side after everything that had happened. "Yeah... I... couldn't leave her. I'll have to check on her sometime soon... make sure she got back from the labs alright." Angie nodded. "Quite a day you had. How's your head? From the zapping?" "I felt rather muzzy after waking up... but it's cleared by now. But it's still been... like you said... quite a day. But having you - my lovely fiancee... and my best friend here is already doing wonders." Both of them smiled proudly at the compliment, though Angelina was able to respond with a quick kiss. Ambrose stretched out on the bed, wrapping his arms around Angelina's waist and laying his head on her lap. It wasn't long before a he opened his jaws for a wide-mouthed yawn. Vasile took the que got up. "I should probably be going..." He held out his paw to Ambrose. "Good luck with everything my friend." Ambrose reached up to clasp the proferred hand for a moment, squeezing it tight before releasing it. "Sorry to kick you out, but I would like nothing more right now than to fall asleep in this wonderful woman's arms at the moment. Take care, Vasile. And I'll be seeing you around." Vasile nodded. "Understandable. I have my own set of arms to fall into that I should be getting back to." He gave a happy grin and nodded to Angelina as well. Angie waved goodbye and shot him a smile. There was still a twinkle of 'star struck' in her eyes. Ambrose waved as his friend left and glanced up to Angelina from his vantage on her lap, a wry smile on his mouth as he poked her gently in the ribs. "Spending the afternoon with a movie star, eh?" "Every young girl's dream, isn't it?" She kept her toothy grin, turning it back towards Ambrose. He rolled over onto his back, gazing up at her as his tail thumped twice against the mattress. "Aw... not to sport a lovely engagement ring to her high school sweetheart?" "Well, thats what happens when they realize the pretty movie star is very gay." He gave a playful n** at her wrist. "Oh, I see. So if he were straight I'd be in trouble, huh?" Angelina gave him a wink. "Only maybe." She crawled on top of him and snuggled close. "I'm kidding of course. You know you've my one and only, baby." Laughter bubbled forth as he encircled her waist in his arms, pulling her closer for a kiss. "I know. All kidding aside, I do. I love you, Miss Angelina Swanson-soon-to-be-Maurlias." He wriggled happily underneath her. "Thank you... for everything." Angelina's grin turned warm and touching at that, nuzzling his neck. "And thank you." She kissed him back tenderly. "You should get some rest." He nodded, slipping underneath the blankets and snuggling close to her with a content murmur. It wasn't long before the exhaustion of the day pulled him into a deep sleep, blissfully free of his burden of worries.
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Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:39 pm
Dr. Lockheart Comes to Visit.. The sun was beginning to set as Aubrey watched the Jeep pull back towads the labs. Soon enough, it was engulfed by the treeline of the jungle and Aubrey was left standing there alone. And she felt very alone. No one was about, making the village seem eeiry in the fading light.
She looked over towards the cafeteria. Most likely someone was in there.. but she didn't think she was quite ready to face that. She needed someone she could trust.
Obviously Billy was out of the question...not that Billy would probably give the support she really needed at the moment. Her hand reached in her pocket, instinctively, for her communicator. It wasn't there of course, just a nervous habit.
She sighed and hefted her bag, heading to Duplex #1 and tapping on the door.
Ambrose, meanwhile, had been doing some light reading and relaxing, trying to get his mind off of the concerns that were threatening to overtake him when there was a knock at the door. Ears pricked, he wandered over. Angelina wouldn't knock, but there was any number of other people it could be.
When he opened it to reveal Aubrey, his expression lit up. "Aubrey! Good to see you!" His tail began wagging enthusiastically. If she were here, then there must be good news about the wedding plans, right? In his exuberance, he didn't quite notice the air of fear and dejectment around the woman. "Did you get word about the dress and tux? A date? What did he say??"
Aubrey blinked at the wolf man, then sneered. Though the look of pain in her eyes was deep, and a wave of sorrow came over Ambrose's lupine senses, "This was a bad idea."
Ambrose's jaw moved a few times without words and he suddently got a wave of the sensation that he just wedged his foot deeply into his mouth. "Ah...." He spluttered, now noticing the hurt written all over the woman.
"Dear lord... I mean.... I'm sorry... I just... uhm.... Aub - I mean Dr. Lockheart.... what... happened?"
Aubrey held up her naked left ring finger. "It's a long story. But can I speak to you inside? I'm trying to avoid being mauled by tigers."
His ears flattened against his ears at the sight of the ringless finger and the mention of tigers. "S...sure... of course." He stepped back, opening the door for her before glancing around outside and closing it quietly after her.
Without even thinking, he sniffed at Ein and then moved to try to help her with her duffel, setting it down against the wall near the closet. "What happened?? You and Moreau.... uhm..." He looked at her arm curiously, though the long sleeves hid the presence or absence of any injection wounds.
Ein sniffed right back, his fluffy tail wagging behind him, the only one that was oblivious to the tension in the room. He bounded off once inside, sniffing around at the new environment.
Aubrey collapsed in the chair, turning around to make sure the blinds and curtain were closed. Ambrose could smell her fear hidden beneath the sadness she was emanating.
"Moreau and I aren't together at the moment," she sighed out, still peeking out of the window. "And I'm stuck out here for a while. I don't know for how long... but if Jamal finds out I'm here I'm in trouble."
Ambrose wrested his attention from the small dog bounding around his room, despite the strange urge to get down on his hands and knees and .... do something rather canine.
He went to sit on the edge of the bed, and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I ... havent' seen Jamal in Months. I doubt he'd come pay my duplex a visit randomly. I... uhm... Angelina's out for the moment, so I can't speak for both of us... but if you need to lay low..." He gestured to the room. "But... I don't know how long you might mean by a while.. are we talking a day? A week? A month or more.... What ... happened between the two of you? It doesn't seem to make sense. He had just proposed, and you said he was being particularly clingy."
Aubrey finally took her attention away from the window. "I have no idea how long I'll be out here. Actually, depending what happens, maybe forever."
She looked down and shook her head, one hand coming up to rub the naked finger. "I did something really stupid and he found out." She hazarded a glance up at him and frowned. "I don't think I want to go into details."
"For... ever?" He shook his head in disbelief. Aubrey was the only 'buffer' at the labs as far as Ambrose was concerned that would have any sympathy for the basic human rights and comforts of the islanders. What on earth could have happened to drive THAT kind of wedge between her and Moreau?!
Reluctantly, he nodded his head. He'd ask later.... but she was obviously upset now. "What.... can I do to help?"
Aubrey shrugged. "I..just need somewhere to sleep and stay indoors. I'm terrified, Ambrose. I know the labs keep tabs on Jamal and Zach, but I think Jamal could maul me before anyone would have a chance to do anything!"
"Couldn't you put him out? I mean... if he gets close or anything. But no, that's fine. I will keep the door locked, and I think we'd notice if he came out for blood." He rubbed at his forehead, taking a breath and trying to organize his thoughts. This was mad. He had always worried that something like this might happen, but... to see it actually happening now? It felt so ... strange.
"No, I don't have the ability to activate the sleep command." Well, so Moreau said. She looked critically at Ambrose for a second.
"Ambrose Maurlias Sleep."
She frowned when nothing happened, but didn't look surprised.
"See?"
His ears went back quickly and his hackles raised at the command and he was on his feet - having only recently been buzzed by Duvert, but when nothing happened, no tingle down his neck, he slowly sunk back down to the bed, calming himself and breathing a quick sigh of relief.
"Yes.. yes I do. I... hrmm... " While he was glad not to be lying unconscious, he knew just how foreboding this must be for Aubrey.
"I hope this gets fixed...... I don't know what's goign to happen to this place without you, Aubrey." He finally said honestly.
"I have no idea what's going to happen... but if I'm good girl I might be allowed back in. But I have a feeling I'll have to hold my tongue more."
"So they're likely watching you pretty closely, huh?" Ambrose couldn't help but look up at the corners of his duplex main room. Not that he knew where the cameras were, but that would definately mean that there was no chance he wasn't being watched and therefore he would need to watch his tongue as well when around Aubrey.
A frown tugged at his mouth. One one hand, he would have loved to give her a piece of his mind about Moreau and her 'relationship'... but on the other... not only did that mean that Moreau was now in charge without contest to hear that, but also he felt that he needed her there to soften him.
"I'm sure.... he'll miss you." He finally said tactfully.
"I'm sure he will. But it comes down to a matter of priorities and all. Moreau has to trust his staff completely. And, well, he has reasons not to trust me. That's why I'm here. I'm being forced to make a choice."
"A choice? Between Moreau and what...? The islanders? Did he force you to try to do something to us? Or... I mean... you are just as trapped here as us, right? How could you betray him if he controls all channels on and off the island?"
"Moreau feels I like you islanders too much. So yes, I'm being forced between you and him," She sighed and shifted, her eyes also darting to the cameras.
"Let's just say my friendship with Billy took a turn towards the very unhealthy."
"Ohhhh." The implications hit him all at once and he leaned back. That certainly explained things. Moreau was possessive enough when Aubrey took a side against him, like when the Dude punched him.... but .. if she had affections elsewhere???
He scratched the back of his head. "Well.... " What did one say to that exactly? "I... hope things sort out. But I dont' mind if you stay here for a little bit... but... I mean... we've only got one bed... and Angelina and I are... you know..."
"Well I also know you two agreed not to sleep with each again until the wedding," she said with a snide smile. "So I won't be interrupting too much. I can sleep here, or on the floor."
He opened and closed his mouth, feeling his face turn up a few degrees. "Yes... uhm. Well... right. Cameras." He took a breath and broke eye contact. "Well.... as long as you don't mind us being affectionate... I don't mind. I'm sure we can get some extra blankets."
"Hopefully it won't be for long. And if its not... well, I'll remember your kindness." She smiled back at him.
"Anyway, the moment this becomes a permanent stay I'll know. I'll wake up in my own duplex."
He smiled, nodding back, though it faltered at her negative outlook. "Hopefully.... that will never happen." He stood up and put a paw-hand on her shoulder.
"I'll go get you something from the cafeteria. You're probably hungry."
"Thanks," she said and nodded. "Really..this does mean a lot to me."
He nodded. "After all... you've stuck up for me more than once when you put your neck on the line to do so. I remember things like that. You're a good person.... despite some of your cohorts." He lifted his hand, patted her a few times and went for the door.
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:37 pm
"Even a Man who is Pure in Heart..." Ambrose's 100% Changehttp://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=4874779Cool air ruffled Ambrose's thick fur as consciousness slowly came back to the wolf-man. The scents of the jungle, eerie calls of night birds and the wet soil under his skin alerted him quickly that something was not right.
He shifted, his body feeling heavy and slow to respond, his mouth felt like cotton had been stuffed inside, and his head swam. But he had enough semblance to realize that he wasn't where he should have been. The last thing he remembered..... what was the last thing he remembered? He was in his room... he was reading... then nothing! Had he been buzzed? He had to have been... but why?? He hadn't done anything - he hadn't gotten in anyone's way or spoken back to a staffmember.... only.... A cold chill ran down his spine. Was this.. some sort of punishment for taking in Aubrey?? What if he had been locked out??
He raised his head and squinted up at the spaces in the canopy. It was well after sunset, but the moon shone more than enough light for him to see by... and he could probably find his way back to the village by scent if he didn't feel so.... off. That's when the realization hit him. He only felt like this a few times in the past. His hand quickly went to his arm.... and just as he suspected, there was a hot welt on the back of his arm. An injection. THE injection... A whimper escaped his throat. He knew it was going to happen... and soon, but the building pressure in his joints, the stiffness in his muscles and the fluttering of his heart... why hadn't he recognized the signs sooner??
All thoughts of returning to the village were abandoned. He didn't want to be around someone he cared about when it was about to happen. Angelina had been, well, and Angel during his last change, but what if his fears came true - what if he became an... an animal like Pyroth? No, he didn't want to face seeing her expression before he even knew himself or how to approach her.
It was appropriate that he was in the jungle. It felt right, the night animals calling out around him, he almost wanted to call back at them - respond to them with his own misery and fear.
He got slowly to his feet, starting to walk. He didn't know where he was going, but he felt the need to move, to immerse his senses in the jungle around him as opposed to the building sensation of Change that his body was churning for. His fur was on edge, and he could swear he could already feel a strange pressure in his feet, an ache deep in his bones.Slipping the key he received from Sabin into his pocket, he took a few steps toward the jungle, then turned back to watch the scientist drive off. Now that he was alone he stretched and listened for a moment. There wasn't any human noises coming from the jungle. Lucas wondered if agreeing to come out here was such a good idea after all. Looking around, the young man spotted a thick branch about the length of his forearm lying near the edge. Picking it up, he started breaking off some of the smaller branches with leaves still connected. He kept telling himself that the chances he would be attacked were low, that most animals would probably run if he entered their territory. Other than gators, it didn't seem he would need to worry about any serious predators. And what were the chances he'd run into the mystery creature on his first day? Even with those arguments, he felt better with the stick. It wasn't much, but it was something. It was starting to become dark and Lucas really wanted to find the Romanian before it became completely dark. Venturing forward, he scanned the jungle floor for footprints. Other than a few undistinguishable marks, likely made by whatever else was indigenous to the island, there didn't seem to be any shoe prints. Spending what felt like forever wandering around with no signs of anyone and getting no replies to his calls, Lucas was starting to consider giving up. It was dark now and he was being attacked by insects. He thought he might have even swallowed one while he was shouting for the Romanian. Looking around, he began trying to determine where he had come from and which way the village was. The foreboding pressure was begining to mount, and his heart beating in his ears was drowning out just about all of the other noises that the jungle could make. He felt disoriented and off-balance, crashing through the underbrush ungainly as he struggled to keep himself moving, obeying whatever subconscious reason demanded that he do so, that stopping and lying down was a weakness that wouldn't be tolerated.
His thoughts were a torrent, lacking any sort of structure beyond primal fear and snippets of worry. When the first wet-cracking sound as his ribs began to barrel outwards reached his ears over the thumping of his heart, Ambrose yelped in pain, but kept trudging forward with all the grace of a drunkard.
But he could feel the changing coming faster now. His steps faltered as his feet began to lengthen even more. Where before, while forced to walk on his tipties, his hindpaws still retained most of the shape of human feet and toes. Now his toes swelled, the thick black pads on the bottoms became rougher, more defined, his claws growing thicker and longer.
He collapsed to the ground, whimpering as the foot lengthened and thickened, while the muscles in his legs swelled, bones grinded as his legs became powerful, built to run and leap. A chill ran down the young man's neck and he rubbed his arms. That breeze would have been more appreciated earlier when the sun was cooking his skin. While he walked he hummed lightly to himself, letting one end of the stick drag along beside him. Eyes focused on staying on his footprint trail and thinking back on his day, he was startled by a noise nearby. It almost sounded like a yelp. Scanning his surroundings, he wondered what had made the noise. Could it have been the Romanian? Had it just been an animal? Curiousity and concern pulled him toward where he assumed the sound originated from. Keeping his eyes and ears open, he called out softly. "Hello?" By the time Lucas's eyes found the origins of the yelp, Ambrose had fallen into the painful throws of the change. Moonlight shown down on his convulsing form as for the first time in any of his changes, his very physique and build began to shift, thickening and stretching and tearing his clothing.
Ambrose whimpered and whined as his body shifted, the changes seeming to move upwards from his legs, to his chest, and then a horrid sound as he could both feel and hear his own neck lengthening, vertebrae thickening.The noises Lucas was now hearing were more chilling than the breeze from earlier. He hesitated, then took the final few steps before his eyes finally landed on Ambrose. Lucas froze, his chest and the grip on his stick tightened, his eyes widened and he watched in shock. No thoughts. All he could do was stare for several seconds before he got the gears in his head to start working again. Werewolf. It was a real life werewolf!He couldn't believe. He couldn't believe he couldn't believe it. It was lying right there in front of him. It was transforming before his eyes. He watched in a mixture of fear and disbelief and fascination. A part of him was trying to come up with an explanation, to find a way to debunk what he was seeing. It couldn't be real. Another part was excited by this discovery, wiggling with glee that he was actually witnessing something that had been believed for so long as just a legend. And the other was screaming for him to hightail it out of there. It was hard to tell how long the change took place to Lucas OR Ambrose. The former likely mesmerized, the latter having no real way to judge the passing of time over eyes clenched shut and the pain.
Any noise lucas could have made was drowned out in Ambrose's mind by the bone-jarring pain as he writhed, his only cognizant thought was wishing that it would be over.
Finally, the changes reached his head. He had thought they were complete, but final tning went into the shape and length of his muzzle, his skull widening and flatening. Finally, panting, the horrific bone and muscular distortions abated, and fur thickened in areas over his aching muscles.
Ambrose was dizzy, and as much as he had wanted to scream during the change itself, the deep-bodied pain kept him more wrapped into a fetal ball than able to manage to fill his lungs. Now, the worst abating, he wrapped all of his fear, his pain, and emotion into a long, wavering note as he tilted his muzzle to the sky and let loose a resounding howl.
 It wasn't until the transformation was complete and Lucas caught sight of werewolf's pointed fangs and yellow eyes shining in the moonlight did he start to think running would be a good idea. As much as he wanted to snap off a picture or get some proof of the encounter, he didn't want to risk being noticed by a potentially dangerous werewolf. The stories of the mauled boars that Sabin told him about came back and he knew he really did not want to be this monster's first human victim. With his mind screaming 'move', all he could manage was a small step back before halting again at the howl. It made Lucas shudder and it took several moments to regain control of his body. Unfortunately, in his hurry to leave he turned, only to trip over an unseen object jutting from the ground. Lucas swore under his breath after he dropped to his hands and knees, glanced around for a place to hide and then slowly looked back towards the werewolf, praying it hadn't heard or seen him. After the howl came down from its crescendo, Ambrose lowered his head and a full-body quiver passed over him as his mind seemed to snap back and the repercussions came upon him at once. He felt so... different. He didn't want to see what he looked like. He didn't know how much more he could have changed after his last form and still keep any of his humanity, and yet the pain of his last change told him that he must indeed have transformed a good deal...
At the thud from nearby, Ambrose's head raised and turned in that direction, ears pricked. Now, his nose told him of the presence of another... a scent that he didn't recognise and did not seem blended with any sort of beast or bird, but reeking of fear.... He swallowed, eyes piercing the night as he saw a shuddering figure on the ground.
Perfect.
His body felt unfamiliar, but he - slowly - tried to get to his feet. His balance felt all out of whack.... but... he did it. Thank god, he could stand - on shaking legs that cried out at the further abuse, and with an arm on a nearby tree for support, granted. But he could stand.
Finally, he found his voice, another massive volume of relief. Shakily, he called out, "Who... who's there?"Holy smokes, it can talk.Heart beating a mile a minute, he debated whether to respond or crawl away really fast. Because the werewolf spoke it obviously meant that the human part was in control. But by how much? Could it suddenly go wild on him? Was the transformation incomplete? It hadn't attacked him, at least. Perhaps this thing wasn't to fear. So far it had done nothing to threaten him? When would he ever get a chance to talk to a werewolf? He had to stay. Pulling himself together, Lucas poked his head up and looked over at the werewolf. Pausing for a moment, pushing the glasses back up his nose, he waited until he felt he could reply without his voice shaking. "Um... me, uh. My name is Lucas." He was talking to a werewolf!Ambrose raised his other hand to the side of his head, rubbing at his temples. His head was pounding, his very skull hurt... and at the moment he felt most vulnerable, he was running into a stranger.... did he even know the truth about the island yet? He was clearly still human... but seeing someone change would frighten anyone... in the know or not.
At least he wasn't running away.
"Lucas.." He pronounced slowly, his tongue feeling thick, his muzzle feeling strange. "You have.... quite the timing."
"I'm Ambrose."
I -AM- Ambrose... I can still think ... I can remember... I'm still me.. Thank GOD. I feel strange... so strange... but..
The werewolf lowered the hand he had put to his head a moment ago and looked at his fingers, splaying them and turning his hand over.
I still have hands.... sort of... I can speak... I can stand... I know who I am and think like myself.... those... those were the things that were most important to me. And... I'm done now, right? He risked a bit of hope, a tiny shred of optimism.Lucas laughed uneasily. "Yeah... I've been told that before. Um... I'm sorry?" He slowly pulled himself to his feet, brushing off the dirt from his hands. His eyes, however, never left the werewolf. Lucas studied Ambrose for a moment. It, or he, seemed to still be in pain and unsteady. "Are you okay?" There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he couldn't decide where to begin. Ambrose's own golden eyes regarded Lucas right back, trying to determine just how much the young man knew of the island. He.. had to know... anyone else would be too terrified to talk... right?
"You.. shouldn't have to apologize. And to be pefectly honest... I have felt better." He slid his eyes closed for a moment, trying to steady himself.
The words were coming more easily at least... he had grown used to talking with a muzzle at his last change, but he still felt disoriented and it was taking a lot of concentration to keep up a civil conversation and not fall over into a quivering fetal ball. But Ambrose had always been about appearances, and repressing things like that. Maybe he could talk himself into more of a semblance of coherence. Lucas watched, wondering what to do next. Then it came to him. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a bottle of water he'd brought with him to the island. Even if the werewolf rejected the offer, at least it was a sign of goodwill. That Lucas, at least, didn't mean him any harm. "Here, you can have this." He twisted off the top and handed it to Ambrose. "Also, um... you can sit down and relax. You don't need to worry about me." The water did look promising. The change was taxing, to say the least. And he was thirsty, and hungry, for that matter. But with everything so sore he wasn't sure if he could deal with food just yet.
He nodded thankfully, and reached out to take the bottle, slowly taking a seat again, situating himself for a moment to try to find a comfortable position. Finally, settlign with his feet out in front of him and leaning against one of the trees, he slowly poured the water into his mouth a little at a time before wiping his muzzle on his furry arm and setting the bottle aside.
"Thank you." He nodded to Lucas. "That... I needed that." He took a slow, deliberate breath before looking back over to him. "I... am sure that I startled you... and I apologize for that."His heartbeat was now returning to normal and all that was left was the nervous twisting of his bag strap. This werewolf wasn't so bad. Kind of intimidating to see the real thing all of a sudden, but he seemed harmless. Could he really be responsible for the horrific boar attacks? Maybe there were other werewolves on the island and he was one of the nice ones? Perhaps Ambrose was an unfortunate soul who got bitten by a werewolf? "No, it's okay. Er, yeah I was startled, but..." he trailed off. Crouching down near Ambrose, Lucas scrambled for something to say. Finally he laughed and ran fingers through his hair. "I can't believe I'm talking to a real live werewolf." Ambrose was quickly overcome with a small coughing fit at Lucas's exclamation.
"Werewolf?!" He spluttered. Great, this again. So he was wrong, this likely wasn't a person in the know. "I'm not a werewolf!" Ambrose protested indignantly. Not... that he wanted to get into the full truth of the matter right then and there. And... admittedly, not that he blamed the man. After all, it was night time, he had just seen him change, and... he lifted his eyes to the skies... yup... there was even a full moon out tonight. A small part of Ambrose wondered whether or not that was even a coincidence.Lucas blinked and then gave Ambrose a confused look. "You're not?" Maybe the man was in denial? He felt badly for him. "You certainly look like one to me. If you aren't a werewolf, then what are you?" He raised an eyebrow. Ambrose sighed heavily, ears flicking back. "It... is a long story. And like it or not you'll soon be privvy to the whole thing." He leaned back against the tree, wrapping his arms around his torso. It felt so thick... He brushed the thought from his mind, refusing to dwell on that sort of thing right now.
"I am... or at least I was... a person. I was brought here for a medical study that Feral Labs was conducting. Instead, they've... slowly been changing me... into this." He nodded down to his furry lupine body.
"Everyone they bring here they're bringing for genetic experimentation... I'm sorry to have to be the one to break you the news.""Feral Labs...?" he mouthed quietly and continued to listen to Ambrose. Once the wolf-man had finished, Lucas' eyes were wide. "Feral Labs?!" Lucas sat upright, recognition and shock clearly written on his face. Genetic experimentation? Feral Labs. His mind started racing, recalling everything he'd heard about the place all those months ago. Running fingers through his hair, he stood up and began pacing. After several turns he came to a stop. "Oh s**t... ....I was right," he gaped, then clapped his palm to his face. "God! I'm dumber than dirt." He wanted to kick himself. How could he be this dumb? Finally he lowered himself back to the ground and sighed. "Great." 'Now what?' he wondered. He looked over at Ambrose and felt a pang of sympathy for the man. His forehead creased as he watched the man pace and mumble to himself.
"What... what do you mean? Right about what?" He cocked his head. "Did you... know something about what is going on here? Is word spreading?" His ears lifted, wondering if just maybe Moreau's cover might be blown.
"Why... or how did they get you to come here?" His mind was eager to latch onto a distraction like this.Lucas chewed his lip. "Whispers, really. For a while I've been talking on and off with fellow investigators online and I heard about a few things. Feral Labs has come up in different conversations. Nothing really specific, and most of it was pushed aside as being just more crackpot theories." He looked over at Ambrose, then down at the ground. "I looked into different things, and looked into Feral Labs. I also posted some of my findings on my site." He looked around at the trees around them, then up at the moon. "I guess this is what I get for being too curious." He pulled out a piece of caramel candy from his bag and sighed again. "Damn." Ambrose grumbled. "Well.... your theories weren't as crackpot as others would have you believe, in that case..... that... really is a pity that there aren't more people in the know. Someone needs to blow the lid on this place. But as long as Moreau has money to keep peoples' mouths shut, or to whisk the others off here to his twisted playground that he can't shut up."
He leaned forward snapping a small root out of its fix in the ground, tossing it aside. "I'm sure your site will be taken down by the end of the week, if it isn't already. Maybe... some of your internet buddies will question your absence...?""I bet they have. Or they have at least already concocted some story about me perishing in some accident and it's on it's way to Nonie now." At this point, the realization that he would never see her again had yet to sink in. Right now all he could think about was what was happening at that moment. He was still trying to absorb the news that this place was performing experiments on human subjects and that he'd pretty much handed himself over to them. "I hope some of my friends will notice. It might raise questions." But how long would people stay interested? Would anyone really look into it? "How long have you been here? How long have they been doing this to you?" "More likely than not... they have somwhere in the neighborhood of fifty of us here.... they have to be practiced in the art of 'disappearence' or else they would have been caught already." He felt sympathetic for the man... how long had it been for him now...?
"It's been... wow... just about a year now.. it's mid-August, isn't it?" What would his parents think by now? His professors, the fencing team? Did they even still miss him, wonder about him, or had he already been written off as yesterday's news?
"There... are a series of four changes.. from what I've gleaned from the labs. This one was supposedly my last." He looked down at his hands again. They were thicker, more pawlike than before. What did that say about the rest of him? "Fifty?" He could feel the key in his pocket pressing against his skin through the fabric. Duplex 57? Did that mean he was experiment 57? Experiment... "So... everyone gets experimented, huh?" Dumb question. There was little doubt in his head that he'd be spared. The tone of his voice was even and there didn't really seem to be any signs of anger or even worry in his voice or on his face. His mind flicked back to earlier with Sabin and a realization came to him. "I take it that immunization shot wasn't an immunization shot, either?" He wondered how hard Mr. Duvert was laughing now. At the moment Lucas wasn't all that upset with Feral Labs or Sabin. Most of his anger and frustration was focused at himself. Lucas looked at Ambrose's paws, er, hands... paw-hands. Then he lifted his eyes and looked over Ambrose again, this time with the knowledge of what he really was. Or once was. Chewing the inside of his cheek, Lucas looked down at his own hand. He did just have a shot. "Am I going to start changing now?" "Something in that neighborhood... they just built another fifty duplexes to add to the original fifty... so I'm sure that Moreau's project is going swimmingly" Ambrose rolled his eyes with a grunt.
He nodded. "Unless you work here, then yes. And if you worked here... I'm sure you'd have known what they were doing here before now. And... no... the immunization was likely your first injection. But from what I know that one doesn't actually change you.. just... prepare you or something. You might start having some strange food cravings, nightmares, maybe a fever. That's what happened to me. But you've likely got a couple of weeks to wish your humanity farewell before you change for the first time."
At least he was listening rationally, and believed him. He seemed to have a good head on his shoulders despite being apparently into conspiracy theories. And if he was right... who's to criticize? It was just a real misfortune that he wound up here instead of blowing their cover.
"They must have felt threatened by the information on your website if they went out of their way to get you here." Ambrose said quietly. "It can't always go swimmingly." Lucas rubbed his chin and remained silent while he thought. In order to shut him up and keep him from discovering the whole truth he'd been lured to the island. There was little chance that they'd ever let him go, especially know that he'd seen the island and an experiment with his own eyes. So he was a prisoner. Not only that, but he'd been pumped full of whatever they were working on. He was an experiment. "What exactly are they turning people into? Are you all wolves? Or are their other tests? What does," he searched for the name, "Moreau, is it? What does Moreau hope to achieve with these experiments?" "Your guess is as good as mine as far as his ultimate goals. Some rumors say that he's excercizing his dominion over the genetic code - to learn its ins and outs so he can manipulate it to his hearts content - whether rumors be to use that to cure cancer and other ailments- feeding some of the research to his company where they can do some more legitimate productions with it..... or more nefarious purposes." He shrugged.
"And... everyone's different from what I've seen. I was... well, I am fairly certain that I was their first... though others have now completed their changes as well... an iguana... a cheetah, a coyote.... others are somewhere in the process: a genet, a hawk.... and then other... less fortunates.... like an octopus." His ears flattened. "But... it doesn't seem that they have all the kinks worked out, or at least didn't. I'm fairly certain I'm complete... at least I can still stand... I have hands. But Pyroth, the coyote, I don't know if I would be able to tell the difference between him and a full-blooded coyote if I didn't know any better."Lucas nodded, but he could think of nothing to say for what felt like the longest time to him. He twisted his bag strap unconsciously as he stared blankly at the ground. He scratched his cheek. He would need to think about this more, but later. He couldn't deal with it at the moment. Turning his attention back to Ambrose, Lucas smiled at him, trying to change the mood. "I appreciate you letting me know. I feel like an idiot." He offered his hand in a handshake. "My name is Lucas Wickham. Your's was Ambrose? Do you need any help?" Ambrose's lips pulled back into a strange smile that exposed his long, sharpened teeth. Reaching out with his massive paw-hand, he wrapped it around Lucas's - the pads and fur undenyably real against Lucas's skin.
"You... shouldn't feel stupid. They had me duped for weeks before my first change thinking I was here for a two-week medical study. As much as I wish it were under better circumstances... it is nice to meet you, Lucas. And yes, It's Ambrose... Ambrose Maurlias."
He shook his heavy head, leaning back against the tree. "I think... I think I just need some time to myself for a while. Get... used to this before I head back to the village. Do you need a point in the right direction?"It had been a greeting. Partly. Lucas had also wanted to feel it, to let himself touch what he'd been looking at, to leave no doubt of the truth. It felt real. It felt like a paw. "Yes, but I should have recognized the signs." He rubbed his arm in the place Sabin injected him. Lucas nodded, glancing back and forth. "Yeah. If you could." He reached into his pocket and fingered the key. "They just let you wander around as you please here?" "Yes, thank god for small favors. We have our run of the island, save for the labs. The fence around it - I'm sure you saw it - is electrified. Keep an eye out, however. Not all of the islanders are as... civil as I am. I've heard stories of attacks. The labs moniter us at all times, as well - which is a blessing and a curse. The only blessing being they can somehow remotely knock us out if someone causes trouble. I'm sure you can think of the negative repercussions, though. And they're not always as quick with the knocking out as they should be."
Ambrose slowly got to his feet again. After the initial change and the slackening of adrenaline, a dull ache was remaining, and he felt tired."
Lifting his muzzle to the air, he closed his eyes. If anything, he could swear his nose was even more sensitive than before - he could smell lingering cooked food that symbolized the cafeteria... he could smell where the edge of the jungle was off in a different direction.
Looking back to Lucas he pointed towards the village. "The village is in that direction.... I'd hazard .... maybe half a mile. Or, if you don't want to risk getting lost, I think that the road is that way..." He pointed off to the side. "Probably a few hundred feet." "Great." At least they weren't confined to cages or cells. Realizing he was fidgeting again, he kept his hands gripped around his bag strap. "I think I'll go with the road." It would probably be better that way. It would give him time to think on his own. "Thanks again." Lucas turned and started for the road. Ambrose nodded and thumped back down to a seated position. He gave Lucas a small wave as he turned to go. "Best of luck... if you want to look me up to talk some other time, I'm in Duplex 1."
And with that, Ambrose leaned back up against a tree. One Lucas was out of range, he hunched over, wrapping his arms around himself again and shook, the reality of it all crashing down around him. How much of himself had he lost? The blonde hair that fell into his eyes told him that he still had that much... it... was better than he feared it might be... but still, would anyone recognize him as having ever been human? And what of the urges that were already encroaching on the back of his mind?
With no one around, Ambrose let the fear and sadness take a foothold, needing release. Another pitiful howl broke from his throat before he curled up to try to sleep off the pain and trauma.
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Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:07 pm
Territory Dispute Ambrose Runs into Jamal in the Jungle and has a terse conversation By the time Ambrose woke again, he had no idea how much time had passed. Murky sunlight was filtering through the canopy, but there was no way of telling the sun's position in the sky let alone whether or not it was even the next day, or the day after. The fresh pain in his body had receeded, leaving a dull ache and a stiffness in his joints.
And he felt grimy. Logically, he knew it should be the least of his worries - but the fact that the mud that was likely caking to the side of him that had laid in the dirt and the stale taste in his mouth bothered him at all was a sort of triumph for the wolf. It was a recognizable part of his 'old' life and concerns, and regardless how superficial, it was something comforting.
He slowly rose to his feet - first a kneel, then a wobbly stand, running his hands over his face, cringing internally at the longer muzzle and the sloping skull that his pawpads revealed. It was worse than before - of that there was little doubt. He was not ready to face it, however. And despite the grime of the jungle, he didn't feel ready to rejoin society. To come to Angelina changed, especially with the presence of the Labs in his duplex, even if it was Aubrey.
Besides, as shallow as it was, he needed to sulk. He felt more animalistic, the scents and sounds of the jungle painting an intricate picture around him in 'colors' he never would have been able to even dream of before. Some scents hinted at food, some at danger, others tantaled him with the unknown. But Ambrose was in no mood to explore. He began to walk, aimlessly, picking his way through the underbrush. It was hot, but at least it was shady, though his thick fur frequently snagged on a vine or bramble. He felt awkward - feeling just how much his body, his build had changed. Something urged him to drop to all fours - that it would be faster - feel more natural... but he refused. As much as he was sulking away from his humanity, he wasn't ready for that step.
While Ambrose might have been opposed to reverting to the animalistic four-legged gait favored by his serum, one such islander was no so against it. At least, not any longer. Jamal had given up on staying two-legged at all times. It was much easier to get around this way; at least, so said the tiger. Even Jamal had found that arguing with the beast's inputs to be pointless. He was learning to embrace this behavior. The previous night, as he lay underneath 'his' tree, lapping the remains of dinner from his stunted fingertips, his keen hearing had picked up two mournful howls in the distance. Neither time really aroused much suspicion as the tiger wasn't interested and Jamal could give a damn if someone's dog (or an islander) had gotten swallowed by the jungle. The protection of the trees could be deadly for those not properly prepared. It was now the previous day, however, and while Jamal wasn't particularly hungry, he had left his normal roost and began to survey the perimeters of his 'territory' and to stalk whatever happened to move, scenting for anything unusual or familiar as he went. Part of him hoped Antony would take him up on her visiting him out here, but he knew better than to expect that when she burnt so easily now and was more skittish than he remembered. The tiger man easily heard Ambrose before he saw him, which put him on instant alert. Dropping swiftly to in hunched all-fours position, he peered sharply through the brush and slowly wound through the plant life. Whatever was moving about sounded big. Perhaps it was a lost staff member? Ambrose, unfortunately, had pulled most of his attention inwards, mentally bemoaning his situation and not paying attention to the scents of the surrounding jungle as he should have. If he had, he might have smelled the feline odor a good hundred paces back, or perhaps even recognized it as Jamal and at least been on guard. The last time he had seen the tiger-man was months and months ago, following his rather unwilling three-month excursion in the jungle, and both of them were very different people at the time.
An ear swiveled in Jamal's direction, but Ambrose kept walking forward. His gait was hunched, one hand fidgeting with the fur of his arm, and his steps looked awkward - he had yet to grow accustomed to his new body.
A vaguely familiar smell finally parted the jungle foliage as Jamal continued to creep forward, his eyes narrowing minutely. Had to be an islander to judge from it, but he couldn't quite place it yet. He had to wonder who in their right mind would be tromping around in the jungle when it was common knowledge (or so he believed) that Jamal was out there somewhere. Jamal wasn't so arrogant to believe that he ruled the wilderness, but the general feeling of dislike he gathered from various islanders told him enough. They were either scared of him or thought he was overreacting. Either way, Jamal doubted they'd be out there unless they had a purpose. He kept moving, ghosting along in the darkness as he kept pace with Ambrose's own movements, still not able to make out a figure through the pressing greenery. By now, the tiger was wholey interested in the present scenario and even if Jamal had no intentions on eating anyone or anything, there was always the thrill of the hunt that kept him going. He let a little growl of excitement slip as his whiskers quivered when leaves tickled his face. Jamal was hardly as quiet and stealthy as a real cat, so he made some noise as he went, but he was slowly learning how to get around without attracting much attention. Ambrose might very well have trudged along obliviously until Jamal sprug... or whatever other impulse the tiger-man followed if it wasn't for the eager growl that rumbled from his chest. Ambrose wasn't paying much attention; the idle bird chirping or skittering in the underbrush easily shunted to the back of his mind, but a growl broke the pattern of 'harmless' noises to his mind, and demanded attention.
Both ears swiveled in Jamal's direction and Ambrose paused, the wolf-instincts to possible danger snapping himself out of his reverie. Lifting his nose to catch a scent he now caught the heavy odor of another predator... feline.
He took a step back from the bushes, his hackles rising, ears flattening, and tail raising as he subconsciously tried to make a show of his size and perhaps false confidence.
"Who's there..?" He found his voice, eyes squinting towards the thick underbrush.
The voice was enough to make him pause in his tracks and evaluate the situation a little further. It was human, alright, and a deep inhale proved that it was most likely an islander. Despite the human smell, there was also a distinct predatory smell that cloaked the human-like one. It was an odd mixture. There was enough of the human to alert Jamal to it being someone he'd met before, but it must have been awhile ago as he could quite place it. He was still curious and the tiger was, as always, up for a bit of challenge, so again he took up his creep. Jamal, being the person he was, got a sick pleasure out of worrying his 'prey', and did not once offer an answer to the wolf man's inquiry. The lack of response did indeed worry Ambrose. And in that hesitance and unfamiliar situation the canine instincts became more acute, more familiar with situations of challenges, other predators, and using ones senses to an advantage.
Ambrose held his ground, stooping a bit more and raising his nose for another scent-picture of the environment. The feline smell spread further than just whatever lurked out of his sight - there were traces of it all around... which meant that he was likely on someone else's territory... and had crossed that invisible line and now presented a threat to who or whatever lived here.
Ambrose was confident in his physical prowess for the most part, but he was alone, and that made him uncomfortable, worsened by the fact that his body was aching, injured. The raised tail lowered, signaling his wavering confidence. He was feeling less and less comfortable standing up - his chest was exposed - his gait was ungainly, and his instincts were urging him to sink to a crouch, to face whatever might come at him head-first - with his long teeth as opposed to leaving an opening. It was like trying to size up a fencing opponent without even being able to see them.
He sunk to the ground, paw-hands meeting earth, hackles bristling and a snarl on his lips as he edged towards the bushes with a low growl.
Jamal was nonchalant about this whole thing until he was met with the opposing party's growl. Immediately his eyes narrowed and his lips parted in a hiss that whistled through the abnormally long canines that jutted from his mouth. The tiger man stood still as a statue among the safety of the plant-life as he strained to catch a glimpse of the tresspasser with his excellent nightvision but could only make out traces of something large and low to the ground. Jamal started to move forward when Ambrose did, issuing a warning growl as he swiped branches away, slowly breaking the barrier between the wolf and himself. All the while, the tiger man was trying to place the familiar smell with a face or a name. It just wasn't coming to him and his first impulse was that it wasn't important enough to matter then. If he hurt whoever or whatever it was, then it wouldn't matter to him. Unfortunately for Ambrose, as the two closed distances, Jamal was struck with a name quite suddenly that rang clearly in his head despite the tiger's continued mental play-by-play of the current scenario. Jamal was so amused that he let out a raspy, sinister chuckle. Oh Ambrose...ya poor b*****d, he thought mentally as his mouth curved into a sneer. He never once thought that the blonde man in the cafeteria had progressed just as much, if not more, than he had. His instincts were screaming a warning at him as he heard the hiss and saw the branches jar in the underbrush. It was big and it was feline - which spoke of the combined force of teeth and sharp claws. Despite Ambrose's new bulk, his instincts still stemmed from that of a normal wolf, and felines were a force to be reckoned with for a wolf pack let alone a hurting lone wolf.
The growl and snarl turned defensive, his tail sweeping up between his legs as he reversed his direction, backpedaling carefully. After his call-out hadn't been answered, lupine instincts were dominating his human ones, keeping him from speaking out again, and bracing him for whatever might leap out of the bushes.
By now, Jamal could see the figure that was attempting to call the tiger into submission. At first, he was indignant that the man could even suggest that he was a force to be reckoned with. However, as Ambrose abruptly went 'kicked puppy' and retreated backwards, the tiger man had to repress another laugh. The tiger was annoyed that his territory was being compromised by the wolf, but wasn't sure exactly what to make of the wolf itself. The tiger wanted to move with caution, to save itself injury, but Jamal was too gleeful about his discovery. It was good for Ambrose that Jamal was in a good mood today otherwise he might have met said claws and fangs by now. The bushes parted ever so slightly as Jamal swiped a bough away that had, until a moment ago, blocked his face from the wolf's view. The tiger's ice blue eyes were now clearly visible against the pale backdrop that was Jamal's furred face. For all that Ambrose could see and if he could put two and two together, he'd realize that Jamal looked AWFULLY far along; the black man's face alone had nearly taken the full features of his serum. The only deviation that was clearly obvious were the long fangs that were not covered by his feline lips. Those glittered wetly as they just came a bit short of his jawline. Jamal smiled at Ambrose, but it was hardly in the welcoming sort of way. Ambrose's legs locked as the brush parted, preparing for a springing feline with claws extended. He met with a small note of relief that instead of sharp pain he met instead with a clear view of his stalker....
And at the realization of seeing the piercing blue eyes set in the face of a white tiger, Ambrose's amber eyes widened in surprise, recognition finally kicking in. His ears still rested flat against his head, but his backpedaling ceased. He could smell the danger and airs that the tiger-man was putting on, and he remembered the stories of other islanders being attacked by Jamal when he was in a more feral mood. He remembered the last few times that he had come across him had ended in nasty arguments. But.. before then... there had been a point that Ambrose would even have called a friendship.
Ambrose shook loose the defensive posturing and snarling, swallowing and hoping that he wasn't about to make things worse for himself. "Jamal...? Is that you?" He asked softly, eyes drawn to the sickled fangs.
Jamal's whiskers quivered as he pulled his lips taunt into a sneer, his stare hard and cold as he continued to grasp the offending branch in his clawed hand. The feud between the two men was so old now that even Jamal had trouble remembering exactly what had spawned it in the first place. One thing he was certain of, however, was that he didn't like Ambrose for some reason or another. There was no sense in changing that right now. Even the fact that Ambrose had even dared to challenge him with growls and took the offence before he saw what he was dealing with was enough to annoy him. "Surprised I'm still alive?" he said icily, his words coming out with a slight lisp; he continued to have issues talking clearly thanks to his awkwardly lengthed teeth. "Or are ya surprised you still is?" He was talking... that... at least was a good sign, right? Even if the words were menacing. But Ambrose was fully aware that just because they were interchanging words didn't put him in the clear. But.. maybe he could keep him talking instead of deciding to claw or attack.
Ambrose planted his back feet and pushed himself back onto his haunches, lifting a hand padded palm-outwards in an attempt at a calming gesture. "I'm just... surprised to run into you." Ambrose responded carefully. He felt miserable, emasculated with the tail tucked between his legs - he hated cowing to the other man, showing his fear - but he couldn't deny that Jamal did in fact scare him. "You've... changed... the last I recall... you were still struggling with what you were going through.... but ... I mean... we've all changed, and it has been a while." He was backpedaling even in his speech.
"I never meant to cross you, Jamal... or... come into your... territory? I heard you were out here... I didn't know where."
Jamal clearly did not look pacified despite Ambrose's attempts, but when he did finally break the entirety of the bush's facade, he did not move forward further. Instead, he settled into a haphazard kneeling position because he wanted to be able to get up quickly if he had to, but his muscles were not yet completely used to his new method of four-legged transportation so staying crouched pained his back. The tiger was aware he currently had the upperhand, so he allowed himself some leeway, tension fading at the corners of his eyes as he also retracted his claws. "Thanks to yer ********' staff friend, yeah, we're ALL still changin'," he said hotly, his voice challenging Ambrose to disagree. "As long as peeps like you who -like- da staff still live, they ain't neva gonna be stopped like they oughta be. There ain't no point in tryin' ta resist what's happenin'. Afterall, I sorta like da new me." Jamal wriggled one hand in front of his chest as he neatly flexed his claws in and out, giving Ambrose an overly mock-friendly smile. "Ain't nuthin' like having five switchblades on jus' one hand, is there?" The comment of territory pulled a snort and a tail lash from the tiger man that lifted a slight cloud of dust and brittle leaf matter into the air. "No one in their right mind comes through herr if they know I'm here. That ain't much fun fer me though...how kin I hunt s**t if anyone knows where I'm at?" Only a margin of Ambrose's anxiety reduced as Jamal sheathed his claws, and he was quite aware of the boasting and displaying that the other man was doing. He tried to keep face, but his eyes were certainly drawn to the sheating and unsheathing of his claws against his chest.
Now that he was granted full view of the man, Ambrose could see that despite his suspicions upon first seeing his face, Jamal was likely not through yet with his changes - a good part of his body still furless.
"Unless you plan on killing all of the staff, I don't think it's going to change anything." Ambrose responded. "And... think me weak... or think me a fool, but I think that being on speaking terms with at least one staffmember isn't a bad thing. You get leverage your way... I do it mine. But your way is likely to wind you up in a cage or worse if you push them too hard. Although.... I admit I'm surprised to hear that you've... grown accustomed or fond of your... new self. I can see that it has certainly made you more formidable."
"I wouldn't know about the knives.." Ambrose glanced to his own hands. While tipped with claws, they were of a canine nature - rounded and relatively blunt. "And... if people stay away from you... I would imagine that things would get pretty lonely for you here." He ventured. If anything, the lupine influence in Ambrose had only made him more starved for the company of others.
"I'd be happy ta slit one throat 'n' be done wit' it at dis point," he countered, giving Ambrose a look that bordered on disgust instead of pure dislike. "I ain't gonna be able to counta' all da islanders like you who ain't gonna do s**t 'bout gettin' back at da damn white coats. They already threw me in a cage once. So ********' what if they do it again." The thought of a cage didn't bother his human thoughts, but the tiger wouldn't be happy at all if circumstances led that way. He could barely spend the night with Antony without feeling completely smothered by the four walls. Ambrose's comments on being lonely struck a nerve and he growled despite his best intentions of looking affected. It was true that he liked solitary life very much, but even the lack of interaction with good friends was missed. Especially female friends. "Peeps been afraid of me be'fo I even got claws. I ain't gonna die from not havin' someone 'round me all da ********' time. Why da ******** ya think I'm out herr in da first place?" As much as Jamal hated Ambrose, or thought he did anyway, this little interaction was almost....nice. He wasn't sure if it was the fact he was intimidating the wolfman or the fact he could just sort of ramble and actually get a response that made it bearable. "I... don't blame your hatred for the staff... being on this island is a prison. What they're doing is inhumane. Although... if you like the affects, and if you like being alone in the jungle, it surprises me how you can still harbor such hatred."
He huffed, a whuffling noise. "Personally... I think we have a better chance at getting concessions, at eventually 'winning' if we use our words, plead to their consciences as opposed to using animal force. That will ultimately just make us look less human in their eyes, and validate whatever they want to do to us - leave us to rot, or lock us up in cages on a more permanent basis."
Ambrose didn't keep his eyes from Jamal for a moment, knowing how easy it could be to shift from a passive irritation to violent anger, but he shifted his position ever so slightly to make his sitting position a little more comfortable, to show Jamal that he wasn't a threat. "Besides... the more I've heard through the rumor mill... the more I hear that aside from Moreau himself the rest of the staff is starting to feel trapped themselves. I hear that they aren't allowed to leave or contact off the island any more than we can. And I think that approaching it from that angle, if you want to resist... is your best chance."
"That's ********' stupid. You think they got any sense of what's right 'n' wrong when you 'n' I look like goddamn zoo animals? You gotta be jokin'. Even if they're stuck herr like we be. They ain't getting turned inta beasts....they ain't got NO room ta complain." Jamal curled his lip and shook his head at Ambrose. This pacifistic approach with the staff would NEVER work. They would just keep walking all over all the islanders. Why should they stop? "Some of them have been... or so I've heard... and... others are on thin ice..." Ambrose was vague. "Besides... whenver I've spoken to an actual doctor - not the guards... they treat me like a person." Ambrose replied defensively. He wasn't sure what was really going on in their minds...
"But I think that if we act the part, that's where the line is drawn." Ambrose shut up quickly, hoping not to piss Jamal off.
"The long and the short of it... only one of them has communication off the island... and sooner or later, it's going to bother more and more of them. Despite how much power Moreau has, he can't wield it completely alone."
Jamal snorted, giving Ambrose a very dirty look. He wasn't buying it. "I bet they're jus' saying all dat s**t so you think you got some sorta handle on what's goin' on. They're all dirty ********' liars. I ain't met one of 'em that ain't lied through their teeth. I ain't met many islanders that ain't dirty rotten liars either." He waved a hand through the air dismissively as he continued to glower at the wolf man, now subconciously sizing him up. "Perhaps I'm just not as cynical. Who knows, Jamal, perhaps you're being the realist here. But I have heard some pretty convincing things from other islanders about ex-staff joining our ranks, serums and all. Though, admittedly, I have yet to see them for myself."
Ambrose almost spoke up about his firsthand knowledge that Aubrey was effectively on probation, her own humanity hanging from the wire of Moreau's trust.... but clamped that thought down. He didn't want to endanger her if Jamal knew she was stuck in the village... especially without being able to buzz islanders.
"Let's just say... I have it on pretty good authority that the system isn't running as smoothly at the labs as Moreau would like."
"Most of the other islanders I've met are pretty decent people. Though, like anything, it's a mixed bag, and everyone deals with what's going on differently." Ambrose watched Jamal's gaze linger on him. "I'm sure.... I look... pretty far gone. I just changed.... I haven't even seen for myself yet." Ambrose commented quietly.
"I seen one of them so-called staffers wit' a serum. Lily's her name, I think. She was friend wit' Chana from what I rememba'. I ran inta some idiot janitor too...but I dunno if he's got a serum or not." Jamal chuckled at the memory of scaring the piss out of Newt. God that guys was useless and he SMELLED. Not like how Jamal smelled after being out in the jungle for so many days with only baths in the lake to combat blood crusted fur either. "I think all da staff know betta then ta mess wit' me, so I ain't seen any since dat whole Aubrey slashin' thing. I still ain't figured out who exactly did it but when I do, Imma kick their a** 'cause they didn't do the job right." Ambrose's soft spoken commentry on his transformation didn't garner any sympathy from Jamal, who had just changed recently. His hadn't been any worse than the other two transformations until his jaw started rearranging itself. THAT hurt like a b***h. "I don't think ya look worse than Pyroth, so you're goddamn lucky. I ain't see dat old man in ages...he could barely walk last time I seen 'em." "Lily? That sounds vaguely familiar. I think I heard about her... yeah, she was one... but I don't know any of the details... of what precisely it takes to get someone from the labs kicked out to join the lot of us."
"I heard that it was Zach that went after Aubrey." Ambrose didn't see the harm in telling Jamal that much at least. He had only run across Zach once or twice, and the man had seemed pretty meek. What would make him go for blood was beyond Ambrose. "I ... haven't seen him since I saw him being hauled off. I don't know what they did to him." His ears flattened again. Had they hurt him? Killed him? Locked him up? Or... had Zach just been secretive?
"And... I saw Pyroth about a week ago. He changed again as well... He and... well, me now... I think we're done. According to the labs at least. Pyroth.... well... if I had to say a bright side... he's moving better... but... s**t, I mean he looks just like a coyote. I feel really bad for him. We had a long chat last I saw him. Aside from all of that.... I think he's going to be all right. He seems to still have it together upstairs at least."
"Well you look like...uh...a wolf, so I figure he's gonna look like a damn coyote by now if yer anythin' ta judge..." Jamal again waved his hand dismissively. Afterall, he had no idea Pyroth was seriously a full-fledged coyote instead of the human/animal mix that Ambrose appeared to be. There was no reason to believe otherwise. "At least you ain't an octopus. I don't think you got any reason ta b***h....as fer Zach, well, I woulda neva' guessed -he'd- do somethin' like dat. Funny how da quiet one got mo' balls then some I know." He'd have to track Zach down at some point and get some details. Maybe Zach had some insight that would be helpful for a rebellion. Ambrose nodded, looking down to his forepaws briefly, testing the opposableness of his thumb with relief. "At least I can stand up, too, unlike Pyroth. But... yeah... all things considered I really don't think that my 'fate' here is nearly as bad as many others'. And ... to be honest I rather like wolves. I just... well... liking something and wanting to become something are two entirely different things. All things considered, I don't think any of us are really 'lucky'. Though, yes, some of us are much luckier than otheres. As much of a bitter man as Billy can be, I feel sorry for him."
Ambrose was surprised that the conversation was actually going as well as it was, pleasantly so, but surprised nonetheless. Ambrose still had no respect for Jamal's tactics of lashing out against the staff violently, especially those that were trying to help their cases... but Ambrose didn't want to count himself on Jamal's bad side, either. And it was reassuring to see that despite some rumors he had heard, Jamal was still cognizant enough to carry a conversation.
"Well.... they do say that it's always the quiet ones .... look at the unibomber..."
Jamal grunted, troubled by Ambrose's word choice when he spoke of Pyroth. Pyroth...not being able to stand up? His stony countenance wavered then, eyes flickering over his own hands as he tried to make sense of this. "What happened ta Pyroth dat he can't stand? Did he get hurt huntin' o' somethin'? Dat's da first I've heard of him havin' troubles." He considered Pyroth one of his better 'friends'. Not terribly close, but they got along well enough that Jamal had no problem wasting time with him when they happened to run into each other. Ambrose met Jamal's eyes again, though this time with concern as opposed to caution or trying to anticipate his movements.
He whet his lips and thought about his words. "Pyroth... he's not injured... it was the last change.... when I said he looked just like a coyote... I meant that. I don't know if I would have been able to tell the difference if I didn't know better or couldn't spot the faded tattoos under his fur. I mean... he's bigger than a normal coyote... and I think he's still got vestiges of thumbs left.... but that's it."
"...what da ******** are you talkin' about? There ain't no way he's a goddamn dog." Jamal growled, face contorting into an expression of disbelief and irritation. There was no way that Pyroth could go from being human to a complete and utter coyote. Ambrose had to be lying. Or something. "I wish it weren't the case! From what I heard... there was a problem... or a mistake or something with his serum. I don't know. Last I saw him, he was in his duplex not too long after his change. He.... he's probably going to be a groomsman at my wedding.... whenever that happens." With Aubrey out of the labs, and her having been the go-between between Ambrose and the labs, it was anyone's guess when that would happen.
"I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you."
Jamal growled again, more forcefully this time. He no longer looked slightly irritated. He looked angry and it looked to getting worse with each sharp inhale Jamal took. "Well ain't they all jus' makin' mistakes all OVER da ********' place," he snapped, shifting suddenly onto all fours again, tail curling into a question-mark shape in the background. "This is bullshit. Mistake. HAH. I bet it weren't a mistake. I bet they had it planned da whole time." It was his turn to bristle, the longer fur on his back and neck spiking upwards as he gnashed his teeth bitterly. Ambrose was getting increasingly more anxious the more upset Jamal got. And somehow, Ambrose wasn't going to put it past Jamal to take it out on the messenger. Great, he had tried to somehow make him understand that lashing out at the staff wouldn't help matters, and yet he had apparently made it worse. Maybe he should have let it to Pyroth to show what happened to him to Jamal - maybe coming from him it wouldn't sound as frightening with Pyroth's generally mellow attitude?
"I...." Ambrose was about to defend them, but then watched Jamal's long teeth snap. IF he defended them, that might easily be his own neck. "Maybe you should talk to Pyroth himself." Maybe he could calm Jamal down.
"Yer damn right I'm gonna talk ta Pyroth. I want this s**t figgered out. I'll be ******** sideways if I'M gonna be a goddamn full tiger. I don't mind da claws 'n' these," he pointed at his fangs then, "ain't dat bad, but ******** no. ********. NO." "But.... how many times have you changed? I mean.... I'm done... I was scared of the same thing. And I'm not a full wolf - thank God. Amaya's done... she's like me - thicker, but can still stand, use her hands and all that. Pyroth was pretty far gone by his third change though - you remember it - could barely stand upright, had a full muzzle, completely furred over. Maybe he was the exception, like they said."
"But... I do think you should talk to him. You're a friend of his, right? I'm sure he'd want to see you.”
"s**t I don't know...three times? I don't keep track." Jamal shifted again, growing tired of sitting still and being fueled with nervous/angry energy with this new discovery. The tiger man would have NEVER guessed that someone could turn FULLY into an animal. That seemed impossible. Then again....he thought turning into a furry human animal mix thing was impossible too. He stood abruptly, the claws on his toes digging into the crunched leaves that coated the jungle floor, and gave Ambrose a hard stare. Jamal's patience was growing thin and he was tired of being conversational. Especially with Ambrose. Ambrose sensed the change of atmosphere and slowly moved from a sit to a four-legged stand. "Three times...? If... if so, then you just have one left yourself. And... if I had to make wild guess.... I'd say you probably won't wind up a full tiger... but I'm certainly no expert. That's just based on what I've seen of pyroth versus me and Amaya." He took a step back.
"But... I see I'm bothering you. Why don't you go find Pyroth for yourself. See his take on it all. I'll... get out of your hair."
"If ya want ta leave in one piece, I suggest ya get out and quick," he spat. "I don't know why I didn't ********' tear inta ya earlier. Maybe 'cause I get along wit' Angelina 'n' I ain't got no reason to piss her off. Yer lucky fer dat." Jamal's fists clenched as he tried to focus on this nonsense about Pyroth. There was no way Pyroth wasn't vaguely human anymore. Granted, Ambrose was the first full transformation he'd seen so...if there had been any differences among those who had stopped changing, he wouldn't have known until he ran into them. Ambrose wasn't about to argue, nor take Jamal's 'hospitality' for granted. He nodded, if Jamal wanted to justify his charity as being a 'favor' for Angelina, regardless of whether or not that was a cover, Ambrose wasn't going to press it.
He took a few steps backwards, away from Jamal's territory, nodding his head once silently before turning his back and dashing off. He didn't even move to stand - or care that his tail was tucked. His body seemed to know what it was doing, and as much as Ambrose was loathe to admit, his body moved more fluidly, easier on all fours, and certainly much faster than he ever had run on two, even through the thick jungle. Even if Jamal chased him, he hoped he wouldn't catch him.
Jamal glared at Ambrose's retreating back until the wolf disappeared from sight into the bush, then the tigerman melted into that same foliage, heading in the same direction. All the while, he did not outwardly chase Ambrose, but he wanted to be sure that the other man was gone as promised. It made him feel a little better to pretend that he had drove the other out with a flurry of teeth and claws instead of a bad attitude and a bit of gnashed teeth. It made him feel less weak. Ambrose did indeed keep his promise, having no desire to overstay his welcome. He didn't notice as the tiger trailed him, bounding through the woods and back in the direction he came until the scent of the tiger man was no longer detectable by the wolf's nose. Then, pausing in indecision, he headed off in a random direction, still angled away from Jamal's territory, and just stretched his legs, running, running.... He had wanted to do this before, in his dreams, in niggling desires, to drop to all fours and dash through the woods. Now, even if under the excuse from getting away from Jamal, it felt good - freeing - slipping surprisingly easily between the underbrush.
When Jamal passed 'his' boundry and noted that Ambrose was nowhere to be seen, he was only marginally satisfied. There was now a pressing issue of finding Pyroth and seeing if the wolfman had spoken the truth....or if he was as bad as the staff with which he associated. With a finally growl of warning, he turned and once again headed back for his favored perch. He had a lot to think about.
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:37 pm
After meeting Billy in the lake, Sabin took the note he wrote back to the jeep where he made the quick drive over to where Aubrey was staying in Duplex 1.
With a wry grin, he made as if he dropped the pen, stooped over, and balling the pen in his fist, sloppily (as Billy's message) added an extra line to the top before tacking it to the door.
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Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:17 pm
Homeward Bound Angelina finds Ambrose in the jungle, and they return to their duplex. Even in the thick of the jungle, the August heat and humidity of the Carribbean was miserable to the thickly-furred Ambrose. The pain in his muscles and bones had already begun to subside, and he couldn't say how much time had passed since he changed. He had been careful since his last run-in with the tiger to avoid Jamal's territory - especially now that he was operating primarily based on his sense of smell where his vision only allowed him to see the area directly around him in the thick foliage.
He plodded on, sticking almost exclusively to all fours since his dash away from Jamal's territory - it seemed much easier to navigate and pluck his way through the brush, and just... more physically adept. In the back of his mind, it did bother him, but he had shunted it aside. He didn't feel right heading back. He didn't know what he was expecting, or waiting for... he didn't even know how different he was other than it must be significant. He missed Angelina, but he was scared to face her... even though logically he knew that she would more likely than anything else still love him and welcome him back with open arms. He just felt... so different.
He... had been hungry earlier.. his body demaning nourishment after the change. And when he had seen a dash of movement out of the corner of his eyes his instincts had left him no choice but the chase. It hadn't taken him long to bring down the small island deer and make quick work of it. Only later had it sunk in what he had done, and he had spent time moping in/by the river, trying to clean himself. That... had not made it any eaiser for him to want to return to civilization...
Now, he was wandering, for the most part aimlessly, feeling... detached.
In the distance - farther than a mere human would be able to hear, a faint voice started to carry on the wind, causing a few birds to rustle in the brush and fly away. Someone was calling for someone, yelling in the dark jungle.
If one listened carefully, Ambrose's name could be made out.
Angelina trekked through the thick underbrush, having walked the trails twice over now. Her duffle bag was slung over a shoulder and she tried to untangle herself from a thick clu,b of weeds. She was hot and miserable, her hair sticking to her face and her white tank top soaked all the way through.
"Aaaa~ brose..." she hollared every few meters.
Ambrose paused mid-step, his head lifting and ears pricking as he made out the faint call on the wind. He paused, straining to hear better... With a second and third followup on the name... there was no doubt what was being called nor the person from who it was originating.
His ears lay back and his tail tucked. Angelina... she was looking for him.... She was probably worried sick....
But... what would she think? He was caked in mud, brambles caught in his fur, and he was sure that he hadn't managed to get rid of all of the traces of blood. He hadn't been this filthy since the lockout.... and this time there was no excuse. This..... this wasn't like him. Not at all.
But... on the other paw... he couldn't hide out here forever. He knew that. He needed her. And he had skulked out here long enough. Wordlessly, his tail tucked, he followed the voice, not making an effort to silence his footfalls.
Angelina set down the bag for a moment as she came upon a small creek. No surprise, the river wasn't far from where she was. She pulled out her water bottle and gulped the last of it down, pouring the remains of the water over her head then leaning down to refill it in the running water.
Between her own movements and that of the water, by the time she heard the approach Ambrose was nearly upon her. Angelina felt her ear muscle tug as the attempted to p***k even though they were still thuroughly attatched to the side of her head. She strange tick sensation brought her attention to the sound however, and she stood up, eyes darting around the wall of jungle. "Ambrose?" she called hopefully.
He broke the tree-line by the river a moment after she had called out. His head was down, ears in a submissive position and tail low with a small wag.
He approached her, keeping low to the ground on all fours, in a very submissive and apologetic fashion, something telling him that this was the right way to go about appearing to her, show her how sorry he was that he left her.
Only after he had gotten within petting distance did he look to the ground and wince, finding his voice that had been all but forgotton the past.... few days?
"Angelina.... I... I am sorry... I was gone.."
The moment Angelina could tell who it was she leaped towards him, throwing her arms around his neck. She mumbled something into his fur, probably his name, it almost seemed to physically take her brain a moment to process what was different, especially since he had been keeping his head low. But the way her arms felt around him, and the way he stooped...
Angelina slowly peeled herself off him, her dirty, sweaty scent filling his nostrils fully. The tangy scent of fear mixed with worry and confusion could be distinguished under the surface smell of sweat, mud, and plantlife.
"Oh god.."
He pressed tightly into her embrace, swooping his great arms around her waist and wanting nothing more than to be close to her. Apprehension seemed to melt away now that she was actually there, now that there was no foreboding anticipation looming on the horizon.
Though her relief and relaxed posture soon tensed, the whiff of fear hitting him like a slap across the face. He took a few steps back, avoiding her eyes. "I... I woke up out here... right... before I changed."
Angelina swept her eyes over him. In truth, he didn't look that different. "Can you.. " she shrugged. "I mean... Pyroth.." God, what was she trying to say. She reached forward and scratched behind his ear comfortingly. "Why didn't you come find me? You've been gone for days, I've been worried sick.."
His head still hung, and he felt guilty. He should have gone home... he... should have.. "I... I've felt so... off since my change.... I'm sorry. I should have come back sooner - I... it's been that long? I ... lost track of time. I know you wouldn't.... judge... but I still feel... so different."
He licked her hand gently. "What... about Pyroth?"
Angelina let him lick her, though she couldn't help but feel her heart sink alittle. At least right now he was certainly acting more animal than man... and it was slightly unnerving. "Can you... ya know..stand?"
He nodded, and then opened and closed his mouth, realizing with a distinct note of embarrassment just how he must look to her - approaching on all fours... how much he had been traveling like that recently...... and how much more natural it felt - how swift and strong he felt like that.
"Y... yes.. " He couldn't put words to the fact that he felt better like this - maybe it was just the setting... maybe his... hormones were still frazzled after the change. It... would be different after he was back 'home' for a while...
He rose to his feet, a little awkwardly, but his tail lifted for added balance. He was taller than before, and on his hind legs the thickness of his chest was even more obvious. His neck was longer, thicker, giving him a more feral build and posture. The corner of his vaguely longer muzzle lifted,and his eyes sought her approval... or at least acceptence.
Angelina watched him carefully, a relieved smile washing over his face as she stood and was able to stay grounded on two feet - not like a dog begging for a treat. "So... this is all for you, right? No more changes.. you're done? They'll leave you along now?" She held out her hand and took one of his big paw-like hands in hers, tracing the tips of fingers over the muddy pads.
He nodded, stepping closer to her, feeling the size difference. "That's what they say at least.... This... well, it could be much worse. I think I would have liked had the previous change been my last.... or admittedly any before that one. But... given the alternatives... after seeing Pyroth... I should count myself lucky. I can stand.... I can talk... I have hands." He rolled his shoulders. "And I can think for myself.. I suppose I can't ask for anything more."
Angelina wrapped her arms around his chest and held him for a moment. Seeing him up and talking, and seeming to gain confidence by the minutes, was very releiving. "You're so tall..." she commented into his fur, suddenly very tired feeling as the weight of several days worry began to flush away.
He quirked a smile, determined to try to ease her own worries along with his own. Sticking his tongue out, "You're the short one." He placed his paw-hand flat on the top of her head.
She stuck her tongue back at him before turning more serious again. "I beg you Ambrose, please don't ever scare me like that again. I worry about you, you should know that. I've been out here looking for you since yesterday morning."
He lowered his head again, the scolding going deep. "I.... I do know that... and you're right. I wish I had a better excuse... but I wanted to try to sort things out in my own mind before going home to you.... and then things just got ... kind of muzzy... I lost track of time and I was nervous and... " He trailed off, shaking his head. "I won't do this again. I'll let you know if I am going to be gone for a while... I didn't want you to worry." He held her again. Standing next to her, holding her really drove the point in to how much his body had changed. Angelina was so familar to him - ever curve, that she more than anything was a standard of comparison.
"Why don't we get home.... We can take a shower.." He smiled, glancing down at himself with a wincing smile.
"Yeah I think we can both use one." She smiled and held out her arms in a very 'carry me?' expression.
He swooped her up, surprised to find her lighter than he expected, planted a wet kiss on her cheek, and slowly started to pick his way towards where his nose told him the village was.
"I don't mind you sweaty. Though I'm sure that I'm fairly offensive even to your nose right now. I'm sure I'll feel more like myself when I'm showered and clean and by your side, Angelina. Thank you, for coming after me. I hate to say it... but maybe I needed a reality check."
Angelina shrugged. "Yeah, you smell pretty bad but I'm just happy to have found you." She left out a huge sigh, her aching feet loving the pampering. She patted his head from her vantage point. "They can't hurt you anymore, Ambrose. Its... kind of relief to me. I can finally let myself.. I dunno. I don't want to say 'fall in love with you again' because I never stopped.. but there's something very comforting looking in your eyes and seeing the face I'm going to grow old with."
"Me too... believe me. And.... I know what you mean. I haven't looked in the mirror yet.... but ... with all the changing, every time I got used to being one way, it would only be to change again... I want to be able to know myself and... go from there, you know? Even if it is... as I am now. But... yes. This... this is it... and as different as I am... this is me now."
There was some resounding finality to that... a year of transition... a year of seeing who he was and who he recognized as himself gradually slipping away. Even though his old face had all but completely been replaced now, he was sure... there would be no more change, save for perhaps the natural change of age.
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 7:07 pm
Post-Change Reflections The evening of Ambrose's return with Angelina was a blur. Both of them were exhausted, and the sight of the clean duplex, with all of the affects to make it 'home' to him was more of a welcome sight than he ever imagined. The only thing more so was the shower he took shortly thereafter. The couple made a bee-line for the bathroom - wisely, Ambrose didn't even glance mirror-ward - knowing that he was certainly not in the mood for what he would face, not to mention not needing a reminder as to how filthy he was.
After a long shower, the pair collapsed into sleep not long thereafter.
So Ambrose didn't actually work of the nerve to face himself in the mirror until the next morning.
At least he was clean now, his muscles felt much less sore after a good nights rest in the bed. Besides which, it had been several days now since his last change.
He already knew a lot of what had happened - between memories of the painful parts of the change, looking down at himself, glimpses at his reflection in the river, and even just the mandatory size comparison when he held Angelina.... so he was able to ready himself.
But it was still never easy. He had to remind himself time and again at least it's -DONE- now... as he regarded the hulking wolf-creature in the mirror. It was certainly no wonder that Lucas had cried 'werewolf' when he had seen him. Had Ambrose seen such a sight before the island... it would certainly be what would have come to his mind as well. That and fear...
His ears swiveled back as he took a deep breath into his thick chest, letting it out with a sigh. It was bad. But he knew it was going to be bad. His lean frame that he had spent thousands of hours perfecting in the fencing circuit was gone - left with what couldn't even be called stocky or muscular really.... more just inhuman. His proportions looked awkward to his discerning amber eyes... Feral.
He ran a thick paw-hand through his hair. At least there was still that. While even his blue eyes had been stained to be a golden amber now, at least there was some sign, albeit minor, of who he used to be.
Could he even still fence? Could he hold an epee delicately, yet firmly in this thick paw-hand with its shorter fingers and thick black claws? Could he hold a stance with his large legs and thick torso? And while he might be quick on all fours, and react in an eyeblink to stimuli... he was such a large target. And with how topheavy he looked, would he still be able to lunge without toppling over. Would his tail compensate that well, or was he really only built to do any sort of physical competition when running about an all fours?
Did it even matter?
He had lost so much of who he was. Who was he now? Was he a fencer? was he a gentleman? A man of culture and status? How much of who he was before was lost irrevocably. At least... he could still think - still put weight to such questions, and still had the love of his life - beyond all probability.
And... as much as he might dream otherwise, even if the opportunity was there... going home would never be the same. Even now, safe from the threat of cancer that came with stopping the changes - even if he could go home and be a sort of celebrity as opposed to a freak or a lab subject... it woudln't be the 'home' that he left.
This was his home now... and this was his face. And who he was.... time would tell. He could stand, he could speak. He had hands, he could think... and he had Angelina. He was still Ambrose in that - and he would always do the best he could to be a good person, someone that could be trusted.
Ambrose finished morning preparations, brushing his teeth, grooming his hair and fur, and was faced with the predicament that most of his clothes no longer fit well at all. Making some emergency adjustments to one of his pairs of loose sleep pants, and making the mental note that he would need to get more clothes soon, Ambrose headed towards the cafeteria to sate the pit of hunger in his belly.
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 8:17 pm
Meeting Batman In which Ambrose finds a potential fencing partner!Tommy's been sitting at a table in the chow hall for who knows how long now. In front of the cadet, sprawled out on his table, are many sheets of paper. The majority of these are wadded up into trash balls, while some of the others seem to have music notes written on them. It is obvious that Tommy has been struggling trying to re-learn how to write with his deformed hands. The cadet himself looks little better than the wadded up pieces of trash littering the area around him. Pale, with dark circles around his eyes, Tommy looks more and more like the Nosferatu every day. With a grunt of dissaproval at his current music sheet, he picks up one of the many V8 bottles around him and tilts it back to drink. He frowns as he sees this one is empty like all the rest. After a good deal of soul-searching in the mirror in his duplex, Ambrose was finally ready to face the world. It felt strange, knowing that he was done, knowing that he was one of the few islanders on this rock that .... was the final result of the experimentation, and to all outward appearence more animal than human.
He knew going out might very well run into new islanders, or uncomfortable questions from the veterens. But, as he's always had to deal with, he can't say in his duplex, or the jungle for that matter, forever.
First thing was certainly first: food. He had... eaten while he was out, technically.... but even the lingering smell of the cooking food that made it to his duplex was more than enough to more than make up his mind of what needed to be done next.
Ambrose pushed open the door to the cafeteria, smiling as the scents reached his nose. There was someone else in there.... a strange man... abnormally long fingers, and - Ambrose's ears flicked back - someone he knew he hadn't seen before.
Deciding to keep his distance until at least he had piled up the savory meats on his tray to judge his reaction, Ambrose made for the lunch line.
It all smelled.... so good. And it had been ... a while... since he had eaten last. Usually he was able to restrain himself from eating until at least he had sat down, with proper utensils. But the temptation to just eat one hotdog first won out... hurriedly snuck into his jaws and wolfed down with hardly chewing.
Finally, tray full, Ambrose turned back to the seating area, one ear flicking to the side in indecision as he made eye-contract with the man and took a couple tentative steps in his direction.The bat-man eyes the wolf-man the moment he pads into the chow hall. .oO(Well...he's far along...kept his hair though...wonder if I'm going to...stop it...quit thinking like that, damnit. And what are you doing staring at him? That's not like you...c'mon...) Immediately Tommy's stare becomes a grin and he nods amiably at Ambrose. The cadet goes back to trying to scribble out some notes, but his hands are still making it difficult. It's not until Ambrose pads over toward him that Tommy looks back up. "Hey there," Tommy says slowly in order to minimize his speech difficulties...damn these awkward teeth, "How's it going?" Ambrose was reassured by how in stride the man took his changes. His tail giving a small wag as he put a toothy smile to his own mouth and made his way over to the seat across from him, toenails clicking against the floor tiles.
"Good afternoon." Ambrose said with a nod. "It's going.... yes. It's going." He shook his head with a sigh. " Are you looking for company... or are you busy?" He inquired with a glance to the sheet music spread across the table.Tommy nods a few times in understanding, "Yeah...same here, I guess...hmm? Oh! Nah, not busy," he says as he begins sliding all of the papers into a neater stack, "s**t, I need a break anyway. My eyes are killing me." Tommy reaches up to rup his eyes, but stops short as he suddenly realizes he's about to poke one out. He pauses for a moment before putting his hand down. "Name's Tommy, Tommy Christian," he says with an awkward smile. Ambrose sets his tray down away from one of the stacks before taking a seat himself.
"Tommy? Nice to meet you." Ambrose extended his thick paw-hand and carefully took Tommy's by the palm. "My name is Ambrose Maurlias. A pleasure - at least as much as it can be meeting another new person here."
He released the hand and picked up his silverware, licking his chops as he eyed the plate of food. "Are you a musician?" He asked, realizing it was probably a dumb question given the music. "Working on composing a piece or something?" Tommy lets out a soft chuckle at that. "Nah I'm no musician...well, I mean...I play...er...played the piano for most of my life. Nah, I'm just trying to get some dexterity...back...into um...yeah, into my hands..." The cadet seems a bit uncomfortable at this, whether outright speaking of his hands or of the sheet music is debatable. Tommy stares at his hand a moment before blinking and shaking his head. Imediately his amiable grin is back, "But yeah, it's nice to meet you Ambrose. I take it you've been here...for...goddamn, quite a while, huh?" He asks as he looks over the wolf-man. While he listened, he helped himself to a couple of hamburgers - making quick work of them with his large mouth.
At the reference to his hands, Ambrose took it as an unspoken invitation and with a wince, he glanced down to his distended fingers for a closer look.
Finally nodding and swallowing before speaking.
"I'm... sorry about your hands. Do you know what it is you're becoming to have fingers like that? I ... I think one of my biggest fears was that I'd lose my own hands." He spread them to illustrate the point.
"And yes... I suppose it's pretty obvious which people have been here a while, huh? But... yes, it's been just about... a year now. Supposedly, I'm 'done'. And I hope to God that that's the case.""Goddamn...a year...in a year they can do...all this," Tommy shakes his head in horrified amazement. "Heh, don't be sorry, man...you're not the one doing it...but yeah...from the way it looks, I'm more than likely going to lose them...completely. I'm ah...I'm becoming a bat..." Tommy pauses a moment, always finding this the most difficult thing to say, "A vampire bat..." He chuckles some, though there's no humor left there, "Now I'm just hoping that b*****d Sabin gets me my electric piano before...well...something else happens..." he trails off at that. "I know how you feel." Ambrose chimed in. "After my first change I didn't see how it could physically get any worse. I mean... it seems impossible. I was the first one on the island to change, and so... I couldn't dream that this sort of thing was ever possible." He shook his head with a sigh.
At least the conversation was going relatively well - there was always the paranoia that was assoicated with going out after a change. And here he was, meeting someone new that was speaking to him like a normal human being. well, perhaps not 'new' - he had already been through a change himself, but still. At least he was still recognizable as having once been human. He still had his face.
"A bat.... ouch. That's... rough. I knew someone before who was becoming a bat - albeit I don't think one of the vampiric persuasion. She had been an artist, too. After her first change her fingers were pretty distended too. But for a while she was able to work with clay, and eventually she thought she might be able to work with her feet. She had done some research and apparently bats have pretty flexible toes.... to hang by the ceiling, I suppose." The corner of his mouth lifted in an attempt at cheering the man.Tommy, the master of internalization. .oO(The first to change...so this place has only been open for a year now? Keep in mind Tommy, they couldn't have thought of everything yet.) "Well, I'll tell you one thing...these V8's are getting old fast," Tommy says with a mock shudder. At Ambrose's comment on flexible toes and hanging by ceilings, he begins laughing. "Hah! Goddamn, I can just see myself now...hanging from the celing of my room..." he trails off with a grin. .oO(That's right, Tommy, make it a joke. Make it seem as unreal as you want it to be. It'll go down easier) "But yeah, even if that happens...well, it'd be more than awkward to play with my feet...Or fence..." Tommy looks down at this last part, suddenly depressed. It's been a while since he's picked up a foil. Last time was back in May right before his team broke for the summer. He gives a sigh at this. Ambrose nodded at the drink, going through more of his helping of food.
"I can imagine.... is there anything else you can eat? I mean... I take it a burger or hotdog doesn't sound appealing? Or are you a vegeterian..?" Ambrose had heard of more than one occasion of a vegeterian given a rather carnivorous serum. Perhaps that was the case here and he was going for the closest equivalent.
Ambrose's eyes lit up and his head snapped up at the mention of fencing, coughing a bit as he had been taking a drink of water. "Fence? You fence?" His ears pricked and tail rose excitedly.
Hell, maybe he wasn't cut out for it nearly as well anymore, but... damn if he wouldn't try. Maybe he could even somehow figure out to use his... changes to his advantage... somehow?"Well, I dunno really. Nothing solid I eat stays down for long, if you know what I mean...vegeterian? Heh...hell no. God...what I wouldn't do now for a filet cooked black 'n blue right about now...but anyway, yeah, it's the only thing I can keep down easily. I haven't seen any smoothies around here." He glances around the chow hall, wondering if he may have missed one when he notices Ambrose's excitement. He can't help but grin at the expressionfull extremeties Ambrose now had. "Well...yeah, I fenced on the IC team back at the Air Force Academy. I did foil mostly." He nods a couple time before his thoughts began to wander. .oO(I wonder...nah...but...could I? I mean...my palm didn't change all that much. It'd depend if it's a pistol or french grip...but...*sigh* who am I kidding? Who here would even have the basics for fencing?) "Well, maybe you could... well, it would probably taste rather strange at the very least, but ask Delia ... she's the lunch lady... if she's got a blender. You could puree a steak or something and drink it?" He shrugged with a smile.
"And really? Not just a hobbyist, but actually competed?" Ambrose's enthusiasm was raising by the moment. "I was on the fencing team at University of Massachusettes at Amhurst. I was... well, I was hoping to make it to the Olympics some day... but... obvious complacations." He looked to Tommy's hands again, considering. "Figures, though, you're a foil fencer? I was ... well... am? Epee. The only other person I met on the island who ever fenced was sabre. It's a conspiracy, I'm sure." He sighed, but was well aware of the still-existing glimmer of chance.
"I was teaching a few people the basics... but it's not quite the same as the rush of competition."Tommy nods and makes a mental note to get something tastier to drink...maybe not a puree'd steak...but maybe a protein drink. "Yeah...I don't think I was quite Olympic quality," he says with a modest grin, "But nah, it's the only sport I truly enjoy doing." Tommy chuckles when he hears of Ambrose's style, "Goddamn, yeah...that figures, eh? But hell, I mean, overall they're not too different. But I just know epee's going to screw with my timing," He says, still laughing, as if he had to worry about such things like that anymore. "But..." he seems hesitant, hoping it wasn't too good to hope for, "Do you...have equipment?" "Well, I wasn't either to be perfectly honest.... at least not yet. But I was on my way... at least that's what the coach said. I had hopes...." He waved his hand, not wanting to go down that road right then. IT always led to morose thoughts about what could have been.
"It's enough that could likely be overcome. Greer, she was the other fencer, last I saw was quite avian, and I didn't have the heart to even ask her if she thought she might be able to pick up a sword."
He held up a finger. "But, speaking of... I do, as a matter of fact. Epee equipment at least. I brought my own gear with me when I came, intending on practicing during my 'two week medical study'. But I got some more from the labs in the hopes of practicing with others. But like I said, there hasn't been a lot of other interest."
He paused, glancing down his snout. "But... I don't know how well I could wear a mask.... I haven't since.... months and months ago. Since then I've just been teaching and haven't needed it, or working on point control or footwork drills." His ears laid back against his head. How in the hell could he compete when the mask wouldn't fit around his muzzle anymore. "Hell, even the jacket wouldn't fit me anymore now." Tommy let a glimmer of happiness enter his poisoned soul for a moment as he heard Ambrose had equipment. He literally beamed. His mind began to race, trying to think of a way to make it work. "Hah! Yeah...hmm...well, see the one thing we learn at the Academy is how to be a bullshit artist. All we have to do is improvise, you know? It doesn't have to be perfect...there's no US Fencing Association to black card us if we don't have the right equipment..." Tommy looks over Ambrose for a moment, particularly his muzzled face. "Alright...well...the main thing masks do is protect the eyes. That's easily solved, just get some goggles of some sort. Or hell, even glasses. But that nose of yours looks like it'd be sensitive...and let's face it, it would be pretty damn uncomfortable to have a long metal stick shoved up there...hmm...well, jacket we don't really have to worry about if it's dry fencing and even less so if we're doing Epee..." He trails off in thought, gears turning so that he may be able to enjoy something he loved back home. His ears perked as the gears in Tommy's head began to turn and he began to think out loud.
"You know... I bet you're right - we could make this work... one way or another. And we don't have to stick with regulations, though yes - I would prefer NOT having to deal with even a tipped epee up my nose.. or down the back of my throat." He quirked a smile.
"As demeaning as it would be.. I wonder if we could get some sort of muzzle or something... work some of the wire mesh around the edge for protection along with goggles like you spoke of. But no, I don't think I'd have to worry too much at taking a blow anywhere else.... save for... well, I've already got a cup that shouldn't need much if any altercation." He grinned.
"Still, I wish we had met last week, if not sooner when it I was... better built for fencing. But, I suppose that my wider chest will be a fitting handicap..." Ambrose sighed. He would be so much more of a target now. Positioning onesself sideways to ones opponent was supposed to reduce their target area, not increase it as Ambrose was apt to do now. His tail would be sticking out like a flag, too. IF that would even be a legal hit. Though technically epee fencing had the whole body as a target, why not an extra body part?
But his arms were longer... his reach would be longer as well. And he knew he was quicker... even upright. Maybe it wouldn't balance out too horribly.Tommy grins a bit, the thought of a werewolf being brought down by an epee tip up the nose. And for once, he didn't bash the thought back into his mind. It was so rediculous, that it couldn't not be enjoyed. A bat-man and a werewolf, completely decked out in fencing gear, lunging at eachother as if there wasn't anything strange or horrible about it. "Heh...same here, man...well...what, two weeks ago? Then I'd still have hands that'd actually work well. Actually, that brings me to my next question: you carry pistol grips I'm guessing, right? I think I could get my hands around one of those..." He began to think of his own handicapps he may have to overcome. He would have to train his footwork to fit his new feet...and his hands...well...as long as he can grip it, he'll be fine. He nodded. "Yes, the epees I have are pistol-grip... which.... I bet you could manage." He finished encouragingly. This just might work! He might actually have his first honest to god fencing match in about a year! Man... he was out of practice. But so what, it was a chance!
He slid his tray, now empty, aside and propped his head up on the table with a hand. "So.... we just need to be able to modify some equipment... and we should be good to go. How familiar are you with epee style?"Tommy leans back in thought, crossing his hands behind him to make a headrest. Though that must be a sight, with the long fingers sticking out of either side of his head. "Hmm...well, the only other style I've tried before is saber...I've only actually seen epee in action. Though a bunch of my friends are constantly trying to convert me over," he grins at this, "so I know mostly how it works." "Tell me if I mess anything up: The whole body's the target, not just the torso...there's no right of way, so I'm going to have to get used to that...and from what I've seen, it's a bit slower than foil. You seem to use tactics and logic much more." "Well, sounds like one way or another we've finally got you converted - even if it's because of a matter of no foils present."
He nodded at the descriptions. "That's pretty much it... though as far as speed goes, that's also highly dependent on the individual." He winked. "Yes, it takes more thought, but if you know what you're doing..." He trailed off with a grin. Tommy grins and laughs at this, "Seems the bastards finally got me, eh?" "Well, let's just hope I still have the speed I once had then," he says while searching for a bottle of V8 that had at lest some juice left in it. Ah! Found one, quarter of the way full. He quickly downs it. "Seems, I've finally found something to do on this damn island besides moping around," he says with a grin. It's been a while since he's had some happiness, and this may be the thing that turns him from the brink of madness. "Apparently so. And it sounds like we've got ourselves a plan... and hopefully a good source of entertainment for a while."
He looked over Tommy's changes critically. "I wouldn't think your speed would be too hampered... at least not after you grow accustomed to things. Though I could be wrong. We'll both be dealing with needing to adjust, though."
Ambrose rose to his feet, carting his tray before returning back to the table with a pensive look. "I'll look into getting a pair of goggles and... something to service to protect my snout. In the meantime, I can loan you a set of equipment for you to work with?" Tommy nods at the remark about changes, suddenly feeling like he should stop complaining as much "...yeah..." "Hey, yeah, that'd be great! Goddamn, it's been too long since I've fenced...I need my fix," he grins, "But yeah, I'm in duplex fifty four, which one a...heh...wait, lemme guess...you're number one, right?" Ambrose responded with a wolfish grin. "How'd you guess? Yeah, that's my place. It's easy to remember. I'll drop by the equipment this afternoon for you, then! And best of luck with your writing practice. Between that and fencing I hope you're able to get a handle on it!"
He patted the bat-man on the shoulder before heading out. "And then, feel free to drop by my duplex whenever you like."
He gave him a wave and headed for the door.Tommy nods as Ambrose gave him a pat on the shoulder, feeling for once, almost good about himself. "Yeah, I actually might just do that," he says sincerely. .oO(s**t, I actually might...damn, this seems like one of the few people here I actually wouldn't mind to get to know) After Ambrose leaves, Tommy looks over the mess he made for a moment before going right back at it. Alec's going to want this note soon...
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:47 pm
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Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:51 am
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 8:54 pm
A Friendly Face Ambrose runs into Gaius and they get to talkingThe past days had been busy, if not downright weird, for Gaius. And he'd yet to contact Antony, though he knew he really should sometime soon. The periods of inactivity in his duplex or just wandering around outside left the man with too much time to think, too much time to reflect back on images he'd rather not recall. So it'd been with determination that Gaius set out for the supply room that morning. It'd taken the better part of the morning, but Gaius had managed to unbury some lumber sitting in the back, probably saved for repair work, or left over after construction. He figured he could find something to do with it, even if he didn't know what yet. He had ideas, though. Gaius stood back and whiped his brow, looking over the beams he'd started to pull out. It'd take some labor to haul them over to his duplex alone... Ambrose was on his way back from the cafeteria, enjoying the hint of cooler weather following the rains. It looked like the Island might finally be touched by a hint of "fall", even if that only meant that the temperatures might actually dip below 80 at nights. Still, any respite was a welcome one to the man sporting a thick coat of fur which seemed to be constantly shedding all over.
Hearing the clunking of lumber from the storage room, Ambrose's ears pricked up and he wandered closer. Was a staffmember about..? Or was it an islander thinking of putting their time to a purpose? It had been a while since Ambrose helped out with a building project - collaborative or even his personal projects that he had made around Christmas... back when there likely wasn't even half as many subjects around... and he had much more human hands.....
Shaking the thought from his head he padded in, peering around the corner and spotting someone from behind, wiping his sweat from his brow and looking in consideration at the lumber. The tail sticking out over his pants line spoke that Ambrose at least didn't need to worry about him being another newbie who he might startle.
So, with a friendly wag of his tail, he let his curiousity lead him into the room, his nails clicking on the concrete floor.
: Gaius's right ear twitched slightly, catching the clicking of something approaching from behind. He looked over his shoulder, fearing it might have been one of the staff, or worse, Zach, coming to interrupt him. He was caught by surprise at the sight of the very large wolf-man heading his way. It was impossible to keep him mind from jumping to imagery from horror movies of werewolves. But that wasn't what got his hackles to rise. What Gaius saw in that face was the reddened maw of Annie, over the body of Fiona, only weeks ago. The images resurfaced all too clearly in his mind, and something in his instincts made him jump back, eyes wide. "Gahahh!" His mind was instantly racing, looking everywhere for possible escapes. Why was the wolf here?! Hadn't they hunted her-it down? Ambrose's friendly and curious attitude was shot out of the sky. His ears flattened and he quickly backpedaled a couple of steps, raising his paw-hands palm forward while tucking his tail. A gesture that, Ambrose mulled bitterly, was becoming all too habitual. A part of his mind prodded that rolling over onto his back would be the best way to seem nonthreatening, or at the very least to drop down to all fours and try to look small, but Ambrose shoved that to the back of his mind.
"Whoa! I'm sorry.... uhm... there. I didn't mean to startle you!" Ambrose plaintively called out to the broad-faced man. "I... I mean... I saw your tail... I figured that you at least had seen some of the others... perhaps I was wrong... Ah... I mean... I know I'm a bit... further gone... than most of the others." He found himself babbling.
: Gaius breathed heavily, the moment of fight-or-flight giving way to actual thought. "Y-You're not Annie..?" he asked stupidly. Of course this wolf wasn't Annie. For one thing, it was clearly a male, as the voice demonstrated, even if Gaius wasn't familiar with gender differences in animals, and his fur was distinctly grey. "I-I thought you were... you looked like the killer..." Gaius eased back from the tense stance he'd adopted, beginning to feel rather foolish. "I mean, you looked like her... being a, er, wolf..." He rubbed the back of his neck and ducked his head sheepishly. "Sorry, you surprised me and I panicked..." "Aah..." Ambrose's eyes found the floor, remembering what he had heard from Sid about... the attack. "That's right.... she ... was a wolf, too, huh?" Ambrose had never seen her as anything other than a human. The thought that there was... or at least had been another wolf on the island almost felt strange for some reason. He should have sought her out sooner. If so... could he have helped? Or would he just have borne witness to some macabre decline that would have terrified him even more.
"But no... I'm no killer... nor am I a woman." Ambrose smiled, attempting to alleviate the tension, though revealing several long sharp teeth in his canine facsimile of the human expression. "My name is Ambrose... I don't believe we've met."
: Ambrose's smile brought one mirrored in Gaius's wide face. He was relieved the wolf man had taken the mistake good-naturedly. "Yeah, you don't look much like a girl anyways. I'm Gaius," he said, extending his hand to the wolf. "And I haven't met a lot of people... only been here a month yet. But it seems there's a new face everywhere I look." He couldn't help but glance over the form before him. He'd seen many islanders that were far gone. Ambrose looked most similar to Rex... though something in the way his chest was shaped seemed off. Definitely inhuman. Gaius wondered how long it had taken him to go so far... and if he'd go any farther. Ambrose's tension dissapated even further as the man reached out to shake. Grasping his hand with a practiced firm greeting, Ambrose met his eyes and nodded.
"It's nice to meet you, Gaius. And only a month yet? Things must still all be very... fresh." He chose the word after a moment of consideration. "How... has it all been for you? I mean, I am certain that it has been miles from pleasant, but hopefully you've met some other friendly faces at the very least?"
: Gaius shook his paw-hand warmly, but his smile faultered at Ambrose's inquiry. "Eh..." He glanced away, then bolstered his smile, though it was less bright than before. "Fresh is one way to put it... I've met a bunch of people, some very nice... but some I'd rather avoid, though I seem to have bad luck, considering how often I run into them." He didn't know why, but Gaius felt almost relieved that there was someone asking him how he felt. Someone Gaius didn't have to play the strong shoulder for. "It's been... well, hell, really," he confessed, running a hand back through his hair. "It's like I've been torn out of my life and thrown into some alternate world where I've gotten thrown around like a kite in a storm. If I'm not making promises to one person, I'm consoling another or getting harassed by someone else. There's nothing stable I can set my feet on to try and right myself. There's nothing I can use to control the way I'm falling." Gaius took a deep breath and met Ambrose's eyes again with a sheepish apologetic smile. "Sorry, that was probably a lot more than you were bargaining for." Ambrose nodded "Regretfully... not everyone here is necessarily... the friendliest of individuals. I have heard rumors of attacks.. namely... the one you mentioned yourself. But still, more people I've met have been friendly rather than otherwise. I've heard that Jamal.. the white-tiger man, can be rather dangerous - but I've been lucky enough to encounter him when he at least .... would speak to me as opposed to just outright attacking. And for the most part, one of the few good things about the lab is that they do ... try to minimize conflicts..."
Ambrose pulled a large crate closer and offered it as a seat. "Don't apologize. I know how you feel. I think that almost all of us have been through our own personal Hell on this island... Sometimes... you get used to it. It doesn't make it any more right, and it doesn't make the things, the people, that are still back there somewhere leave your mind. But... that's good... I think - to remember the people who touched your life before this place. And between the separation from our old lives, and being often forced into ... a role, and a shape that isn't your own... it's hard for everyone. You must have... made some friends already if they're looking to you for support. It's never easy, and it's impossible to do alone, I think. But if you absorb everyone else's problems and never have anyone to talk to yourself, you'll go crazy." Ambrose added with a small chuckle and a wincing smile.
: Gaius chuckled as well, finally relaxing fully in Ambrose's presence as the slump of his broad shoulders showed. "Gee, seems like your speaking from experience there..." He shook his head at the offer of the seat, shrugging slightly, and leaned back against the wall of the supply room. "It's definitely been hard... I'm glad there are nice people. I hope I can meet more of them. This Jamal fellow... I hadn't heard of, though. Probably a good thing, I've had enough trouble dealing with Zach..." He gave a distasteful snort at the name. Ambrose nodde and gave a bit of a shrug. "I was... with the first wave of people here. We didn't know even what we were fully in for. It was definately a struggle, and I know that I wouldn't have been able to make it through if I didn't make the friends that I did that I could talk to, that listened to my problems as I listened to theirs. It's kind of like a family in that. One of the few good things about this place as a whole is the people I've met. I never had close friends like this back home, outside of Angelina. But that's probably just me."
"Zach..?" Ambrose searched his memory. "I only met the man briefly... back at the beach bar a while ago now. He didn't seem so bad when I met him - but that might be due to the alcohol and the girls hanging off of him." Ambrose have a bemused expression.
"Has he.... gotten pretty bad..? I know... some of the people here have had problems with their inner ... animals" He shook his head again and went ahead and took a seat himself on the crate. "I think... and ... maybe it's me, maybe it's a difference in the serums, I don't know... but I think that if you choose your battles, then you can keep what's important... you know?"
"I don't know who you've met... but Angelina and I are in Duplex 1... Emelyn is a really nice person, Amaya, Emerwyn, Vasile, Cassidy, Pyroth, Bobby, and Chana are all people who have been here long enough to have changed and are good people. Colche too, though, while she can bring a smile to your face may not be the best of people if you really want to have a long discussion." He said awkwardly.
: "Family..." Gaius repeated, his eyes drifting down. It was hard... much of the time he'd been alone had been spent thinking of the family left behind back in the states, and what they'd possibly heard of his fate. But, to build a second family here, with the people he knew... "That would be nice..." He let out a dry chuckle at Ambrose's recollection. "He must've changed a lot, then, from what you remember... Taken a liking to scaring new guys - like myself - and has never uttered an honest word in all the conversations I've had with him. He sports a black top hat like that scientist does... Sabin, or whatever his name is. And... I think Zach thinks that he protects him. He's really cocky about it." At the list of names, Gaius just shook his head, feeling a corner of his hope being chipped away. "So many people... I'm down in Duplex 62, way over on the side. I haven't seen any of those people yet... Just Marshall, Rex, Antony, Sid, Alec, Tommy, and a couple others..." He sighed, suddenly wondering something, and fearing what the answer might be. "Have you... Has anyone tried... to escape before?" Ambrose shook his head at the description of Zach. "That's not right. This isnt' easy for any of us, and making it worse for new arrivals is just wrong. The labs do enough to screw with new people as it is - we don't need to be turning against eachother. Changed or not, we're all in this together."
"And Sixty two.... wow. That many of us now? I remember when I thought I was alone here... It seems like it was a lifetime ago. But, I guess in reality it's just been a little over a year."
Ambrose listened to the list. "I've met Rex briefly, he seemed nice. And Sid, Alec and Tommy. Good people... though I heard the announcement about Alec and Tommy. I wouldn't have thought that they'd attack someone - even if it was a staffmember. And no matter what they say, Dr. Lockheart is the closest we've got to an ally in the labs. she's the only one I've seen or heard of that actually has a conscience."
"Escape... We've all thought about it... several people have tried... something. Alec and Tommy, as I said, tried to attack a staffmember... though I don't know what they thought that would have accomplished other than bringing punishment onto their heads. But between the cameras all over the island, the chips in our necks, and the thousands of miles to shore... I don't know what we can do. Or even if we did get back, how well received we'd be. I heard that... if you stop the process, and don't get the follow up injections till completion... that your cells can break down, you can get cancer, and all sorts of nasty things. At least... at this point... supposedly I'm done."
: Gaius winced. "Oh, right, I forgot about the cameras..." The reminder that he was always watched made him glance around, wondering just where the camera might be hidden. Of course, it was useless, and he eventually gave up with a sigh. "They've really thought of almost everything then..." He chewed on the inside of his cheek. What Ambrose said about the cancer... He'd always kept a hope that he could escape the island before meeting the fate of the others, that a tail and other growths would be the extent of what he'd have to face. That hope looked to be sitting on flimsier foundation every day. "So..." he glanced over Ambrose, taking in again how much wolf there was in that body. "That's their end goal? Animal-people?" Ambrose nodded. "I hate to be the one to rain on your parade... and if you have any ideas that might work, I am certain that you'd have many people willing to follow you. But... they put a lot of thought into this prison. And as of yet, it's got a better record than Alcatraz. If anyone has somehow managed it, I haven't heard about it."
He spread his hands at the question. "Supposedly. I'm just glad that I'm finished. I turned out luckier than some. Pyroth, being one of them. I don't know why... they claim it's to find cures for diseases... but I don't buy that. I think it is something along the lines of 'because he can.'"
: Gaius let out another distinctly animal snort as he scowled. "That's no excuse..." "Don't worry... I'm just learning new stuff about this place still... And I'm too darn stubborn to give up just yet," he added with a hopeful half-grin. "I'm sure someday we'll get lucky." The talk about being 'finished' made Gaius shift uncomfortably, all too aware of the little lumps on his back, buried beneath the bandage wrappings and t-shirt. They'd been painful coming in... how much worse would they get? "I was just wondering... are most people able to figure out what their animal is after the first... change?" "I hope you're right. But, regardless, that's a good attitude. But above all, escape or no... what's important is that you as a person hold on."
Ambrose looked the man over - the inhumanly broad face, the tail... the strange dual-colored hair. "Some are... others it isn't so easy. I figured I was canine after my first change... I was thinking wolf, but I had no hard evidence... until I called the lab and outright asked. Amaya just got a smattering of green scales - which left room for a lot."
Ambrose lifted his nose towards Gaius, not even really thinking as he took in his scent. Unfortunately, not having a great deal to compare it to, the best he could muster was that it smelled vaguely like some sort of prey animal.
"Do you know what you are?"
: "No..." he grumbled, scratching at the back of his neck. He wasn't comfortable enough yet to mention the growths on his back - the most confusing aspect of his change. "People say to ask the labs... I dunno. I don't really want to risk dealing with that Sabin guy. The way he spoke so enthusiastically about this place, before I knew what it really was..." He gave a shudder. "Crazy. That's what." "I'm still torn... I'd like to know, so I know what to expect, but then, that'd mean I'd be living in dread - well, more than I already am - of what's to come. What kind of way is that to live?" He shrugged and tilted his head at Ambrose, a faint smile on his lips. "You seem like a real nice guy... It's good to know that's not something they can change. I don't know what I'd do if I ended up like Zach, or that squid-guy. I think I'd really be lost then, even if I was still kinda human, you know?" Gaius shuffled a foot and shrugged. "I... understand if you don't want to deal with them. But, at least as far as I've seen, they seem to be honest about that." Ambrose shook his head. "I've had very little dealings with the man myself... I was buzzed unconscious when I refused to leave the room when he was.. collecting Amaya to the labs. I couldn't leave her alone, though -she was terrified."
"Well..." Ambrose looked him over again. "If you don't mind me saying... your tail and the look of your ears... and the extra hair... That makes me think mammal, at least. Which means you're one of the luckier ones. You smell... like some sort of herbivore.... I'm sorry, I can't tell much beyond that, however." He scratched the back of his neck, a little embarrassed at the source of the information.
Ambrose nodded. "Not everyone goes crazy... really. In fact, most of the people who seem to had the propensity from the begining. And... if you're a herbivore... then you don't need even to worry about predatory instincts."
: Gaius nodded. The buzzing sounded like Sabin. At least, it reminded him of his encounter after Fiona's murder. "Herbivore?" he blinked. Suddenly, several things seemed to click in place. His diminished appetite when it came to steak, the nagging nerves at the back of his mind. He'd never been so skittish before. But that still didn't explain the stupid wings. "You mean they're making me a vegitarian?" He gave Ambrose a troubled look, quickly replaced by hardened stubborness. "...We'll see about that. No lab's going to keep me from enjoying the food I cook." With that, he pushed off from the wall and looked over the wood he'd been pulling out, and scratched at his chin. "I thought, since all this stuff was just sitting here, I might use it to help, if anyone needs stuff built." He shrugged, flashing Ambrose a grin over his shoulder. "Though what I'd make... I dunno yet!" Ambrose laughed. "Then more power to you. I've lost my taste for a lot of vegetables... but I still enjoy a good, cooked meal, rolls, pasta, and other things. It's just learning to accomodate a new palatte or needs. I know that there are a lot of vegan dishes that people who make that lifestyle choice consciously make... just.. well, not really offhand."
"I know that it's not much consolation, and you certainly have the right to feel irritated, but there are others worse off. I think that's better than changing a vegan to a carnivore - which I've seen... or dealing with snake instincts to eat things whole." Ambrose gave a small shudder. "But... I know as well as anyone that even the 'lucky' people as far as animal choice aren't lucky at all. You want to feel bad, to bemoan the change, that you're losing your humanity at all.... but it doesn't fall on many sympathetic ears if you're changing into a mammal."
Ambrose looked over to the wood pile with interest. "You know... I did a little bit of building work not long after I arrived... did this kind of silly golf course thing with Chubbs and Jamal... before he changed the first time." The smile wavered for a moment before he continued. "We were going to build a butterfly house... given the humidity around we wouldn't need any special equipment... but .... we kind of got sidetracked with... other events. But despite the entertainment rooms, the beaches, and so forth, things can get slow around here. So... I'm all ears if you come up with anything you want to build!"
: "I'm sorry to hear that... about the sympathy, I mean." Gaius frowned. "Even the 'lucky' ones should be able to get some kind of consolation, even if it's a 'I know how you feel' from others... If it helps, I'm sorry you had to become a wolf... I can only imagine how bad the tail was," he chuckled and winced, giving his own a swish behind him. He brightened at Ambrose's offer, looking back over the wood. "I think I'll ask around and see if there's anything people need first... Hadn't thought of a golf course! Or a butterfly house... Wonder if there's anyone who'd use it? But hey, if there's as many people on this island as there seem to be, someone's gotta want something the staff haven't provided, right?" He grinned. "Plus, help is always good! There's only so much I can build by myself. If you know any others who'd want to help, we could even get a volunteer crew going to make some things... Even adjustments to the duplexes. Heeey..." Struck by a thought, Gaius tapped a crate. "You know, I've wanted to try my hand at furniture... Maybe I can make some personalized stuff, like chairs for guys like us with tails..." Ambrose smiled. "It's alright.. And thank you, for what it's worth. And yes... the tail is excruciating... the muzzle is worse, though." He gave Gaius an apologetic look, hoping that it would serve as much as a warning as holding over his head an unavoidable future experience.
"And I'd be glad to help if you need me! The chairs sound like a decent idea. I usually end up spinning mine around backwards if they aren't otherwise compatible. I don't exactly have a lot of formal training... but I've learned a bit from other islanders. And the basic work itself doesn't exactly take a lot of thought."
"So, other than cooking and construction, what sort of things did you or do you do for fun?"
: Gaius rubbed his nose at the mention of a muzzle. The possibility that his face was going to get worse was not something Gaius liked to think on. "Duplex 1, right? If I find some work for us, I'll leave a note or something!" he promised with a grin. "Well, I'm a simple guy... Hell, I've probably bored you to tears with some of my rambling about woes already," Gaius chuckled, self-consciously rubbing his neck. "But... back when I was in the states, I loved Nascar and all those racing cars. Always have, since I was a kid. Dad and I would go out to the local raceway in Arizona to watch them. He and I built our own box cars together, too." He finally settled down on a crate nearby and leaned back, remembering some of his fondest childhood memories with a wide grin. "If I hadn't been an architect, I definitely would've become a mechanic." "Sounds like a plan!" Ambrose responded enthusiastically, deciding to ignore the uncomfortable look Gaius sported at the mention of a muzzle.
"And you haven't bored me. I don't mind lending an ear - or doing so again if you need someone to talk to. Heck, they're big enough as is." He smirked.
"And Nascar? Interesting. Never really followed it myself to be honest." Ambrose tried to dispel the image that came to his mind of rednecks and beer when he thought of auto racing. Ambrose had learned a very strict lesson on this island that unlike his life beforehand, one really could not judge a book by its cover. And by meeting people from so many different areas of the world in a rainbow of occupations and interests, that there were a lot of good people out there when you got to know someone on an individual basis.
"Fencing was my passion." He finally commented.
: "Fencing?" Gaius tilted his head, mildly curious. "You mean, like real fencing? Those pointy swords and the white suits and fancy poses and stuff?" He wouldn't have placed Ambrose for a fencer... but then, that was probably because he didn't equate big wolf-men, and the only fencing he'd ever seen was what had been fed to him through movies. Ambrose puffed out his chest a bit, nodding. "Yup, exactly. It was great... the tournaments, the speed of the weapons and the matches, quick thinking and quick movement. And... I will admit, there was always the fantasy of it being the closest thing to the swashbuckling movies and chivalry... " He trailed off looking a bit embarrassed.
"Probably sounds silly... but I just always really loved it. I wanted to go to the olympics some day and everything. Course, it just really shows that you cannot anticipate the changes that life might bring."
: At the mention of swashbuckling, Gaius's grin brightened. Now there was something he could connect to. "No! That's great! Man, to feel like one of those heroes, fighting pirates and monsters and stuff, it'd be a blast!" He shifted forward eagerly, wanting to encourage Ambrose. "I actually do a lot of reading too, like those old legends about Arthur and stuff about the old houses and fighting for honor... My friends would joke about me being caught up on dreaming of being a knight or something." It was Gaius's turn to look embarassed, but he smiled and continued. "When you were fighting... did it really feel like being a hero?" The comment on life got a warm laugh from Gaius. "Yeah, a real curve ball in our case, huh? I have to admit getting turned into some hairy animal was not on my list of life goals!" Ambrose nodded emphatically, a spark in his eyes at Gaius's understanding. "See! Yes! Exactly, you understand what I mean! Even when I'm on the piste with a tipped epee, I can still imagine that I'm facing off against some dastardly foe... And I say that they're wrong when they say that Chivalry is dead... it's just endangered." He chuckled. "I wish sometimes that I could have actually been there... you know? That swordfighting was actually a valuable skill... as opposed to what my parents though. They wanted me to go to medical school." He grimaced.
"It certainly wasn't on mine either, but ... I suppose we don't exactly have much choice. Adapt or die as it were. Make the best of it, never deny that what they're doing is wrong. But It's nice to meet someone with similar interests. You know, they do have quite the movie collection in the entertainment room. We could watch some sometime.... or hell, I'm always eager to teach other people if you want to learn epee."
: Gaius sat back with a dreamy look, imaging what it must have been like to swing a sword... But in his mind, it was a broadsword in his hands, not a narrow saber. "Who needs medical school? There's enough doctors in the world already, and not nearly enough heroes," he grinned. "And I'd love to watch a movie some time, maybe I could convince Marshall to tag along if there's enough special effects." The crate was beginning to get a bit hard on Gaius's back end, and the wood still needed to be moved before the sun got too high in the sky, so Gaius started getting to his feet. He paused at the lesson offer and looked at Ambrose, an eager light in his eyes. "Lessons? For the fighting and stuff? ...Well... if you wouldn't mind a terribly clumsy student, I think I might be able to work it into my busy schedule." Gaius gave a grin that clearly said he was joking about that last statement. After all, time was one of the things they had in abundance on that island. Ambrose's eyes softened and he nodded thoughtfully. "My opinion exactly.... I didn't want to be someone I wasn't for the rest of my life. My parents had already done a good enough number on me throughout high school forcing me into a mold.... I wanted to live my own life for once..... heh... and see where it got me." He shrugged his shoulders, looking down at his paw-like feet.
"But... at least I'm not tearing out my hair in medical school or pulling twenty hour shifts at the hospitals, eh?" He sported a wincing grin.
"But yeah, if you ever want to, clumsy or not, I'd be happy to try to teach you." He got to his feet as well, leaning back and stretching. "Because like you, my schedule is just overflowing here. But hey, it was great meeting you. Swing by sometime, and invite whoever you like to do movies in the entertainment room."
: Gaius clapped Ambrose with a friendly pat on his furred shoulder. It was relieving, somehow, to find another guy on the island, similar, but different... that could bolster Gaius. It was nice to not be alone. "Ambrose, I'm really glad to meet you, even if we wish our situation was different... I guess that's one of the benefits of this place?" "I definitely owe you for today... I feel a little more sane after that talk," he smiled warmly. "Take care of yourself, and I'll definitely take you up on those offers some time. All of them! And if you want, my ears aren't as large as yours yet, but they're good for listening too." "I'm glad I could help. Honestly." He chuckled. "See, maybe take that hero bit down to a more realistic level, eh? But seriously, I try to help out where I can. And it's nice to meet people that you have things in common with."
He barked a good-natured laugh at the offer. "And thanks! I'll certainly keep that in mind if I ever have something I need to get off of my chest." Ambrose was about to say that it was good having people like him on the island, but he stopped himself short. After all, that meant that they had to be snared there as well.
"Don't be a stranger!" He said with a wave, and headed back to his duplex.
: Gaius took the farewells with a laugh, though he caught the unintentional implication of Ambrose's words. They were all lucky to not be the only ones in their misfortune. And whether or not Gaius had a 'lucky' serum... He mentally shook off the idea. It wasn't something he'd dwell on. He waved until Ambrose had walked away, then set back to his work with the lumber. At least he had an idea of what to do now!
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Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:19 am
Orientation Ambrose gives Richard information about the island Fear and disorientation. This appeared to be common among new arrivals to the island. Richard had experianced it himself. And it had taken him three days to extract the basics of island life from Tommy and the others. This was far too slow of a pace for Richard, people needed to know what they were up againist as soon as they landed in the village. Richard had decided that he was going to write an intro pamplet of the island, hoping to expand it into a complete history. To check his facts and satifsy this ambition Richard had place himself in front of duplex #1 with a bottle of wine plifiered from the beach bar. Might as well start at the begining. He hoped wolves liked wine. He wraps on the door with his cane.Ambrose, meanwhile, had been spending most of the afternoon just taking time to himself. The island always seemed to be a strange mix of slowness and boredom, lazy days and lack of responsibilities spiked with sudden, stressful events. Things always seemed to teeter on the brink of fear and chaos, and so somtimes Ambrose liked to take those slow, quiet moments to just relax. Ignore the recent attacks... the killing, the new people whose lives were snared into this mess and pretend that things were normal.
Sometimes he would take his epee out to the beach, or a clearing in the jungle away from everyone and just focus on something so ingrained to his muscle memory that it required very little though. It was his personal take on meditation, and it helped the wolfman immensley. Sometimes, recently, he would take to running through the jungle feeling his muscles pumping as he was carried through thick brush faster than he could have ever run before on a straight track. It was empowering.
But lately, after the rumors of the attack, Ambrose had sided with caution, and remained mostly in teh village. There were books to read, he could spend time with Angelina, and hope that things would cool down enough for the labs to work with him about his wedding plans.
The knock at the door drew him from his revere, but not unpleasantly so. Curious, and not minding company that sought him out, the large wolf man in a large set of baggy sleeppants padded over to the door and opened it with an inquisitve look at the older, still fully human man at his doorstep.
"H...hello?" He asked cautiously, his words well-enunciated even around the canine muzzle. Richard had mentally prepped himself well in advance of that door opening and seeing the resident of the duplex for the first time. Still when Ambrose's yellow eyes met his, he could not stop his face from flinching slightly. It was barely noticable but Ambrose was sure to note it. Starting with a deep breath, Richard smiled in friendly fashion. "Ambrose right?" Pause. "I'm Richard Harrison. I'm new to the neighborhood." Richard offer his right hand. His left holding onto his cane with the bottle of wine tucked under his arm.An ear flicked back in hestiance. The flinch, for one who had grown all to accustomed to seeing even some of the islanders who had already begun their changes see him - someone who appeared to all purposes as being more animal than man - reactions of fear or anxiety was unmistakable.
But he tried not to let it touch him. It was added to the bottle of greivances and suppressed emotions that Ambrose had cultivated for many years before ever setting foot on Hell Island. But still, Ambrose always felt a twinge of pain when he knew that his very appearence brought such a reaction when before his appeance had been a well-groomed presentation piece. But Ambrose, in a nod to that cultivated demeanor, couldn't bear to let the disappointment or sorrow that he felt touch his own face. He could be stronger than that and show himself as the man that he was - not the animal.
"Yes.... It appears that my reputation preceeds me?" Ambrose replied, bringing an all-too-lupine 'grin' to his face and extending his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you.... Mr. Harrison?" Decorum wouldn't allow Ambrose call the obvious elder by his first name. His eyes skimmed the bottle, but he didn't give words to it. "How can I help you?"
The hand shake was firm. Any unease caused by Ambrose's appearence was well hidden away behind Richard's well lined face. It was taking a bit of effort, large dogs had always made him a bit nervious and Ambrose's smile was very toothy, no matter how friendly. "Please call me Richard, Ambrose." He release the hand and lifted the bottle from his other arm. "I just thought I'd stop by and introduce myself." He presented the bottle to Ambrose. "But was wondering if you'd care to humor this old man with a bit of conversation. I've only been here a short time..." Ambrose took the bottle of wine with a genial smile after meeting his handshake with a firm one of his own, eyes holding Richards all the while.
"Richard... then." He said, a bit hesitantly as if he was doing something he ought not to. "And of course I wouldn't mind.... would you care to step inside and have a seat?" Ambrose opened the door wider and gestured to the chair sitting in front of the desk. "Thank you very much." With a nod Richard stepped inside the duplex. He carefully leaned his cane againist the desk and slowly lowered himself onto the chair. It creaked slightly under his weight. Richard allowed his eyes to wander around the room. The longest occiepied of all the duplexes. Ambrose followed him inside, closing the door softly and going to take a seat on the edge of the bed after setting the bottle of wine on the dresser.
The room, despite being so long lived-in still had a bit of the clean-hotel feel. The bed was made, things were straightened. Though it had acquired a small collection of things. The bookshelves were well stocked - mostly books on wolves and a few general bestsellers.
Small statuettes were poised around the room as well, most of them following the similar wolf theme. A framed photograph of a young blonde man and a burnette girl posed in front of a blue background sat on the dresser.
Ambrose looked the man over. He was older, and seemed to be keeping .. calm enough. He wondered how long he had been here thus far. "So out of curiousity, from who did you hear about me from?" Ambrose asked, trying to break the ice. Scratching his head, "Oh lets see, I believe it was Tommy that first mentioned your name. Amaya might have also mentioned you. My first two days here are a bit blurred together I'm afraid. Duplex #1 usually comes up when I mention I'm in duplex 70." Richard seem well composed, almost bussiness like, he was in interview mode "Duplex seventy.." Ambrose echoed incredulously. "It's hard to believe that there are that many of us now..." He said with a shake of his head. "And I suppose in a way, my duplex is both a badge of status and a welcome doormat to all the new arrivals. But... I don't mind. It's something to do and I like being able to meet new people, despite the unfortunate circumstances."Richard noted the bitterness in Ambrose's tone. He was no volunteer that was sure. "Everyone I've met so far seems to be coping more or less." Thoughts of Amaya and Gallen who were both in the less side of the equation. "I'm a reporter and I had the "honor" of interviewing Dr. Moreau before I was assigned my duplex. He was honest during the interview. I skipped the denial phase." Richard looks away, replaying the conclusion of the interview in his mind. "It's amazing what you can deal with given enough time." Ambrose responded with the same bitter tone. "Some better than others, granted. But there isn't exactly much choice. You can deal with it, and try to make the best you can out of a bad situation... or you can let it get to you - pull you down into depression or madness. And as much as I have been tempted to just shut out the world on more than one occasion, it would be 'losing' to the doctors just as much if not more so than dealing with it. I don't want to lose myself-" He tapped the side of his forehead, "on top of everything else."
"And Interviewed, eh? I suppose that's what he did to snare you here? Spreading bad press on the man?" His ears flicked back as a note of amusement hit his voice. "I thoroughly basked in denial as long as I can. Tried to imagine going home... getting some minor surgery. That boat has long since left now, however."
"I run or, "Richard frowned, "ran a blog that publishes unauthorised biographies of leading corperate CEOs. Moreau appearently didn't like his baby pictures on the internet. He invited me for interview. He infuriated me to the point of physical volience, I rose to hit him and the chair I was sitting in injected me with something unpleasent." Richard sighed again, "Not the brightest move on my part." "Really?" Ambrose asked with a lift of his forehead. "I must say that that is rather intersting. And between you and me I hope that you had some negative impact on his reputation before he snatched you."
Ambrose shook his head. "I'm sure that even if the interview went swimmingly you would have found yourself out here, anyway. He wouldn't have invited you here otherwise. From everything I've heard, once you come here: staff OR subject, you're not leaving."That was news to Richard, and his eyebrows shot up. "The staff is trapped as well? But how does he do that? Why do they allow him to do this?"
"What other choice do they have? From what ... Dr. Lockheart has told me, there is no communication on or off the island save through Moreau himself. If the staff complains, then they can wind up out here like the rest of us. They supposedly make a good deal of money.... however he gets it to them... and I guess on the promise that someday they're retire, or he'll go public (not likely if you ask me)... I honestly don't know how he keeps them going on a day to day basis other than through threats." Richard's voice is low but it is also intended for anyone who might be listening "Do they have chips their heads? Dr. Moreau is but one man, not an olypimian god. They are just as guilty as he, maybe more so.""I... honestly don't know. I.... I don't think so, but on the other note, it wouldn't surprise me if they were chipped and didn't know it. From everything I've seen, Moreau is a control freak. And this island is his own private world. His morals, his laws. And heaven help you if you go against him or mess with HIS things."
"So I hear." Richard forced a smile to his face, and it appeared genuine. "Anyway the reason I came here was to ask for your help with a little project."
Ambrose cocked his head, brows (or at least where his brows were) creasing. "Project?"Richard folded his hands together and looked at them. "Its taken me five days to get a handle on what exactly is going on here Ambrose. Five whole days. So I want to help those that arrive after me. Compile a FAQ first and hopefully a full history of the island." Richard flashed a shy grin. "Since you've been here the longest your probably the most knowelegable on the subject of history." "Hunh.." Ambrose responded ever so eloquently. "I'm... honestly surprised that no one else has ever made the effort to do that before now. I mean, the truth is hard on anyone, and almost as much so for the person who encounters a true island newbie and has the unavoidable reaction of horror at being seen as some sort of monster... I wish the staff would start being honest with them when they're brought here.... but I suppose it would only serve to cause trouble for them."
He waved his hand. "But that aside, I'd be happy to help how I can. Did... you have any particular questions?"
"For the FAQ I think I have most of the basics now, I'd just like to confirm them with you. As for the history, all I know is Amaya and Emerwyn have been here for over a year and Tommy attacked Dr. Lockhart over a month ago." Ambrose nodded. "Yes... that sounds about right as far as timing... I arrived here last August, and I believe I was the first subject. And all I know of Tommy's attack is from the announcement over the loudspeaker, that he was working with Alec. But for some reason they've both been admitted back into the village now."
Richard thinks for a moment. "Has... any one died from their serum? Has anyone not been able to take the stress of these... transformations?" Ambrose paused on this one, his eyes wandering away from Richard's and down at the floor. "I... didn't witness it personally.... but it wasn't that long ago.... I heard from Sid - there was a girl named Annie who went mad... she apparently was another wolf ... and attacked and killed her friend Fiona. I have heard other rumors of islanders having bouts of .... well, feral-ness for lack of a better word. Attacking others, but that was the first death. Zachary attacked Dr. Lockheart several months ago and injured her severely - but I dont' know the details of how or why. The fact he's still about makes me think that it couldn't have been premeditated. Jamal - the white tiger - has been dangerous to others on occasion... and I've heard whispers of others."Richard considered Ambrose's words for a long slience. "So its not just the body that changes is it?" He thought of Amaya. "Amaya made it sound like it was just little things, habits and the like." "It... honestly seems to vary from individual to individual. Regardles, from what I have seen, there is no one who completely escapes a hint of animal instincts. Even if it's something as innoculous as ... the urge to shake yourself dry... or if you're a social animal, liking to be around people more so than otherwise. Perhaps a penchant for a particular kind of food. It's been my belief that it depends on how much you let it get to you. That you pick your battles and can shape and maintain what you feel is important to you with enough of a concentrated effort. I've heard a lot of other islanders refer to those animal insticts as a separate entity... whispering urges to them. "The hawk" or "The hedgehog"... as some method of coping or isolating the urges." He shook his head. "To me, however, I've always just felt it like whims or urges. They'd be indistinguishable from my own if I didn't realize that the urge would never be something I would have wanted before hand. If you don't moniter yourself, you can find yourself falling to "habits" that you never had before." Richard looked at his hands, wondering if he was going to lose them. Tommy was lucky that his feet would serve as a replacement, he doubted everyone was so lucky. He gave his head a shake trying to ward off the depressing thoughts of tommorrow. "So what was it like in the begining? Before you knew?" Ambrose gave a soft snort. "It was.... do you know that lingering creepy feeling you have at the begining of a horror movie? You knew something was off, but you couldn't place your finger on it. All of us at the begining were here for different reasons... but I refused to let myself think that I wouldn't be leaving after my "Two week medical study." ... I was the first one to change. It was like a nightmare. It hurt, and I was terrified. It didnt' make sense, and it seemed impossible. I though there was some horrible problem with the drugs they were testing on me, but I coudln't deny that it seemed too ... wildly unlikely to be a coincidence. I was... mortified, and very scared."Richard looked sympathetic, "I can only imagine, I at least know its coming. To be completely blindsided by this must have been beyond horrible, exspecially if you were the first." This was getting so heavy that the conversation threatened to transmute the air into lead. Richard reached into his jacket and withdrew a small flask. He offers it to Ambrose before taking a swig. Ambrose nodded. "Precisely. While others might disagree, I think the newer islanders have it easier in that they can prepare themselves in advance. There are others who have been through the process and they know what to expect: the best and worst case. Everything was an unknown to us. Even after my.... first change... I refused to believe that things could get any worse than they already had. It seemed impossible. Hell, it still seems impossible." Ambrose looked down at his wide, paw-like hands, spreading them.
Ambrose nods as he takes the flask from richard, pouring a small amount onto his tongue. His fur visable ruffles as the burn hits and he gives a small shake of his head as he swallows.
"Thank you."
Richard smiles weakly after downing his own gulp. "I would have brought you whiskey, I didn't expect it to be your style. Wine was safer." Richard chuckled. Time to move past the pity party. "I suppose it ain't all bad, Cody seems to be enjoying himself at least." Ambrose nodded. "Cody's a brave kid... I'll give him that. One one hand I feel sorry for him, I mean... he's so young... but if the labs really CAN cure his MS... then it is saving his life. I wish that the labs would only bring those that would be more likely to be willing. Too many people here are wrested from their lives. They had hopes, dreams, loved ones..." "I'll consider my self fortuate then. I'm a widower with no children. Heck I worked at Feral labs for almost thrity years. Some retirement plan." He takes another swig.
Ambrose agreed with a bitter chuckle. "Indeed. At least... you lived a full life... yes? I mean, No one deserves this, but.... at least he didn't catch you as a young man."
Richard nods. He produces a notepad from his jacket. "Sooo back to basics, How long does it take to finish? Are you finished?"
"Supposedly so. And nearly a year. I certainly hope to God I'm done... I couldn't imagine being much 'worse' than I am now. It was bad enough after the third change." "Aren't there four changes?" Ambrose nodded. "That's correct." "How do the labs treat people? The only actual names of the staff I've heared is Moreau and Lockhart. Ambrose tapped his fingers on his leg, pondering this question. "That... is hard to explain. The labs can be very fickle as a whole. Dr. Lockheart is the only one I've known to be consistantly sympathetic. But in general, one moment they will give you nearly anything you could request - at least as far as material objects go... well, beyond weapons or communication devices.... and the next moment, you're locked out of the buildings for three months as a "psychological experiment"." Ambrose said, making air quotes with his fingers.
"Some of the techs I have heard rumors of doing downright cruel 'pranks'... we're trapped here and they know that they are the ultimate authority." "Not any real surprise there I'm afraid. From what you say the staff is at some level, enslaved and likely to lash out at those they consider "lesser." On a more postive note we can request things?" Richard knew his suits were not going to handle daily use very well, especially if he did more fishing. Ambrose nodded. "I never quite thought about it like that, I suppose. Though obviously, that still doesn't make it right. But yes, you can call up the labs through the intercoms. They'll grant most reasonable requests."
"Handy to know that. I wasn't planning on staying for more than a day." Richard stood. "Well thank you for you time. I'm going to write up a draft of a welcome sheet and I'll show it to you before I start slipping it under the doors of the unused duplexes. We'll have to get together again to hash out the island's timeline. Ambrose rose to his feet as well, his tail giving a quick, 'formal' wag as Richard made to leave. "It was nice meeting you... and I hope that the information helps. Best of luck!" He reached out to shake hands again. Richard shook the hand firmly and without hesitation. With a smile and a nod he headed out the door. "I'll be seeing you. "You too, Richard. Take care and I hope that your lot here is a lucky one." Ambrose gave a sympathetic smile. Perhaps it wasn't the best image to leave the man with, but Ambrose would have been thankful for a dash of reality back in his own early days, pessimistic as it might be.
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