[Journal]~Awen Zyn~Special Aquatic Duplex #1~

[Awen Zyn]

Toying with someone bigger than you...


Awen sat on a fallen tree in the jungle. Swinging her feet just enjoying the peace and quiet she was humming softly. A sweet little melodic tune filled the area around her. She may not be able to stand going to hang out by the beach or the rivers too often with everyone else, and one can only stand the stuffy indoors for so long, so Awen found herself going out to sit in the jungle more and more. She was afraid at first for things that may be lurking in the bushes, but she still hadn't seen any dangerous animal activity, besides Pyroth anyway, on the island. SHe didn't see many people out in the trees, but she didn't mind it so much. Being alone, she was starting to find, wasn't as bad as she had thought.

Perhaps it was because he was similiar in mind, or perhaps it was because he was lost...Jamal was also tromping about in the thick jungle growth. Odds were, however, that the poor man was lost; one generally didn't swear for no reason or look as sour-faced as he did if they had willingly decided to explore. He'd long ago taken off his shirt, finding even it to be too much for the warmth of the island, and draped it across one heavily tattooed shoulder. Periodically he'd use it to whip away a cloud of swarming insects that had been tailing him for most of his trip or to wipe his brow. "Gawd dammit...what the ******** did I gets myself into," he growled bitterly as he swiped away a low-hanging branch. He had no idea Awen was anywhere near him.

Maybe Awen's soft tune was easy to miss but the big man's cursing and thromping ws definately a hard racket to ignore. She paused and tilted her head a little bit and turned her head to the side. He was coming from the left.... Awen and her mother always used to play hideand seek in the woodsback home. She knew how to judge direction even if the sound reverberated off of the trees. She hopped off of the fallen log. He was probably lost or something, or at least exploring and in need of a guide. Awen knew of a few places where if you weren't careful the Jungle opened up too suddenly and you'd fall off the cliffs, or into the river. Awen knew it would be just Jamal's luck.... so head headed towards him. Stepping out from the bushes behind him and notted the tattoos. Nice.... "Hi there!" She said, once more chipperly

Jamal whirled quickly, instinctively balling his hands into fists and lifted his arms into a fighting stance, his shirt slithering off his shoulder and getting tangled in the resident plant life. The black tattoos that coursed across his shoulder and back continued onto his chest, swirling just below his collarbone. He stared briefly at Awen, then slowly dropped his arms, his expression sheepish.

"Oh...what up, Awen," he responded, perhaps less heartily than one might expect. Probably because he just had the s**t scared out of him.

She grinned a little teasingly. "First you get owned, now scared by a woman?" She tsked. "What would the boys back home think about that?" She giggled softly, loving holding that over him, but not maliciously. Honestly it was one of her ways of showing friendship, she was terribly afraid of offending people and if she had the gaul to tease you over something, it meant she wanted to become, or concidered you a friend. She shook her head a little bit and untangled his shirt from the plants that were ccurrently clinging to it and handed it back to him. "You're definately too edgey...."

He lifted a brow and crossed his arms over his chest, deciding to play it cool, though he was a little insulted that she thought he was scared. "Well s**t...if yous lived where I did...yous be ready for a brawl too," he said smoothly, then grinned, shoving aside his very mild annoyance. "And yous SO didn't own a brotha. I already 'splained that. Now what be goin' on out herr that yous wanderin' 'round here tryin' to catch a brotha offguard?" At least he was being a good sport about her teasing.

The shirt was taken once it was offered and he threw it over his shoulder, feeling the material to be too much against the humidity and he hiked his jeans up a bit since they were sagging to the point where he might as well NOT wear pants at all.

She snickered a little bit but let his "I already told you you didn't own me I'm just rusty!" routine slide. "Actually I was sitting just over there quite peacefully and enjoying the quiet before you trampled though making that big racket." She smiled and added in an undertone "Not that I don't mind company." She looked at the big man before her, obviously out sized she found it sort of funny how awkward he looked to the jungle, as opposed to how tough he may look in the city. "You may know how to survive city style, but man you really attract enough attention with all the noise you make in the bush. What about you, why are you way out here?"

"Figgered makin' alot o' noise best fer keepin' things away...s**t, I ain't got no idea what be out herr." he said, trying to make it sound like he was being tough and really wasn't scared of the jungle, though a slight glimmer of uncertainty flitted across his broad features. It was true he looked positively awkward there amongst the greenery with his "bling" and his city-style personae.

"I figgered I'd check out the trees n'stuff...ain't got nothin' like this in Detriot. Unless yous count the trees people plant infront the fancy places uptown. And them ain't nothin' on these ********." The black man glanced upwards towards the tree canopy as he spoke.

She smiled and looked up as he had. "Yeah, I'm sured to trees back home but Jungles are much different than forests." She tilted her head with a smile as she leveled her gave back to him. "You'd think trees were just trees eh? That they'd all be the same when grouped together in a cluster. But I guess that's not the way it is..."

She knew he probably didn't care about her view on trees so she stumbled onto a different subject. "Detroit though, that place is different. I've only been there a couple times before. Once when I was a kid and another time to see...uh... a doctor there after my parents died. Nothing like Toronto, like I had originally thought. Like trees... I mean cities are cities right?" She shook her head a little bit. "I would so never make it in a place like Detroit though...."

"Trees is all green n' tall," he said with a careless shrug. "These just huge...I ain't never really stop to check 'em out b'fore."

He plucked a leaf from one low-hanging branch and examined it before flicking it away and letting it drift gently to the jungle floor, letting it mix with the existing ground cover. Jamal listened carefully to Awen speak, lips pursing some as she spoke what she knew of his hometown. He offered her a small laugh in response. "Detriot ain't dat bad...just gotta find yer place in how it be there. Don't mess with no one you ain't willin' to buck wit' later on."

She nodded a little bit. "Of course, you'd have to know your own limits to live there. I certainly would do my best to avoid messing with anyone honestly! It may not be that bad but it still seems like a tough city to live in at times." She nodded. "And besides I'm not exactly imtimedating." She spread her arms a bit making note of her small frame before letting them drop back to her sides giggling a bit. "I don't think anyone would take me serious even if I did try to mess with someone!"

Jamal couldn't help himself and took the opportunity to check her out whilst she was drawing attention to herself, using the pretense of her actions and words to be why he was looking at her like -that-. Still, he was careful. He still didn't really know how old she was. Still...playa gotta play...no harm in looking until he knew the verdict as to if he'd get himself in trouble or not. "I dunno...I bet yous could kick some a** if ya had to," he quipped with a wink. "Small brothas is hard to take down...Thems too fast sometimes. I figger smaller ladies ain't got no problem. Besides, some shorties I seen in a fight one time, well, them can start n' finish pretty big fights."

She didn't really take his lookings the wrong way. After all he had ample opportunity to check her out like -that- when they had met. But he didn't and reserved that only for Emerwyn and emelyn. So obviously she wouldn't suspect any alterior motives now. "Well, get people desperate enough and really they can do almost anything..." She shifted her weight a little bit. "But those girls grew up like that, having to be tough and stuff." Rolling her shoulders, she was as uncomfortable as when this stuff came up with Lauren. "I never really had to worry about being tough really." Which is probably what caused the problems with her psyche... she never had to be tough ...so she wasn't.

"Meh...I bet the time comes when yous kick someone's a**. Surprise yo'self."

He sighed then, looking vaguely homesick. Or perhaps digusted about some matter or another. "This place ain't nothin' like home. I ain't sure if I like it herr or not."

She smiled a bit at his compliment. Lauren though Awen could be strong too.... maybe it was true...? The two toughest people on the island said she could be tough too. Awen actually beamed a little at that compliment. Brave like starfish, as Colche says. She faded a bit seeign the look on his face. "Well.... it's not like anywhere I've been either. But it's not so bad once you get used to it. Lots of nice people here too, you just.. have to get to know you're way around... meet some more people, that's all."

"I ain't sure I wanna meet anymo' peeps," he muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I ain't so big on gettin' all up in ev'rybody's biz...ain't never a good idea. Then s**t goes down and yous left pickin' up pieces....or hidin' like a damn rat in a subway tunnel." He expelled a gruff sigh and leaned against the tree he previously stripped a leaf from. "I gots ta be careful, ya know...I mess up herr like I did back home, I bet they give me up to the cops and my a** goes in the slamma. Best to just keep ma biz to ma self...peeps wanna come to me, well that be fine. But I ain't gonna stick ma nose where it don't belong."

She smiled a little bit and leaned against a tree, but sliding down to sit on the jungle floor. "Well one thing can be said about the island. There isn't anyone to rat to. There aren't any cops on the island and Moreau likes to keep it that way." She smiled up at him. "When they said you'd have a safe place to hide Jamal, they meant it. No one but the pilot.." She realised she still couldn't quite get his name.... "Really enters and exits the island regularly and he's paid a pretty penny to keep his mouth shut." She smiled. "Besides...the islanders are nice here, the only hot tempered one is Pyroth that I've met." She gave him a slight smoothly sly look. "Besides, there are more ladies on the island that you could get to know."

"I ain't takin' no chances...though, dat big black b*****d took my ********' gun outta ma bag. Ain't seeing why a brotha gotta play me like that. ******** was expenive." He grumbled under his breath, most of it inaudible except for something along the lines of 'they think I gonna shoot someone again er something'.

He pulled his head scarf off, exposing the intricate braids in his hair to the warm sunlight, finding the cover to be too warm to be comfortable right now while at the same time laughing heartily at her comment on meeting more ladies. "Oh, so yous think you got me down, huh? All 'bout the ladies?" He paused, as though for dramatics, then winked. "Well s**t, I best be workin' on a betta cover then. I like workin' undacova."

She laughed at the subtext of his words. "I'm sure you do." She shifted a little bit on the jungle floor. "Well the way you were lookin at Emerwyn and Emelyn the other day.... Maybe not all about hte ladies but ya know you can tell really man." She chuckled a little bit. real typical of a guy.

He made a face and shrugged. "Brotha ain't gonna change his ways just 'cause he be in a new place," he remarked with a twinge of innocence. "Long as I know they ain't under legal age...s**t, fair game, far as I be concerned." Jamal hardly looked abashed by his comment. Just very matter-of-fact.

She nodded a little bit. "Well glad you aren'....." She paused a second. "So is that why you avoided hitting on me?" She laughed a little bit. Well he did say they're fair game unless they were underaged... and he didn't go for her earlier. Not that she was overly concerned or anything, just curious. She had wondered if there was something wrong with her, but that would explain it really. If he said no... then ouch to Awen. She snickered a little thinking though.

A sly grin flitted across his features at her question. "Jamal got love fo' any ladies long as he know they ain't young enough to get me in trouble...Don't discriminate othawise." So what...yous just clue me into ya propa age n'maybe I won't worry none anymo'."

She lifted her head a little matter-of-factly. "Nineteen actually, twenty come Januray." She wondered why she was actually saying that. It just invited him to go and hit on her and...that always made Awen squimish to be honest. She never really knew how to act in such situations... It didn't happen too often to Awen and ... She just stopped there. "What about you anyway?" She tried to be all non-chalant about it.

He chuckled and shifted his weight against the tree, amused that she actually answered. Was she -looking- for attention? Or did she just not want to be considered younger than she really was. "Jus' turned 25 in' July," he responded, eyeing her for a reaction.

She smiled a little bit and nodded. She had thought somewhere in that range. She knew that he was older than her thought, she thought by maybe two or three years, but it turned out to be just about six. She blushed a little bit and brushed some leaves aside, drawing randomly in the dirt...

He knew that was going to make things awkward, but he didn't care all that much. She wanted to know, afterall. However, the silence that fell over them both wasn't something he liked, being that he was from a part of the world where silence was completely unheard of. He slid his doo-rag back on and tied the back before standing up straight. "I don't know 'bout you, but I is tired of the damn trees...bout ready to go home." He, of course, left out the part about not knowing how to get back home.

She sighed softly and got up. "Yeah..." She let a slow smile slipped to her lips. "Why don't you lead the way then Jamal?"

"Uh....."

Jamal looked left and right and mentally swore. Was she serious? He "uhhed" intelligently again and glanced at her.

She giggled and started back towards the village. "Owned, scared and now having a woman lead the way." She glanced over her shoulder with a smirk. "You are really slipping aren't you man?" Speaking of slipping.... She tripped over a root and practically fell, but caught herself. Blushing she walked really stiffley as she was embarrassedthat totally messing up her jeer.

He was going to come back with a snappy retort, but seems that the root did the job for him. He chuckled softly. "God did dat, yous know," he said with a whisper, his eyes twinkling with mirth as he fell in step behind her. "Dat's his way of sayin' to take it easy on me."

She chuckled softly. "Maybe, maybe." She smirked a little bit. "But really what fun would taking it easy be?" She glanced back over her shoulder and shot him a sort of look before giggling and looking forward again.

Again, a brow arched (good lord, it might as well just stay there). Was she toying with him now? He was amused...but vaguely intrigued. Hm... He trudged through the jungle behind her, trying to behave. Now that he knew that she was in fact "legal", he found it pretty hard to do so.

She just led him back to the village and finally broke out of the trees back to civilization. "Well..there you are it." She paused to turn and smile to him. "Try not to get lost next time, okay? I'm not always out there to rescue you."

"Naw, brotha wasn't lost...just wanna see if yous knew the way," he said cockily as he winked at her and sauntered away from the treeline with his shirt draped over his shoulder still, heading toward his duplex. He glanced over his shoulder though at her. "See ya 'round, shorty."

She laughed a little bit at his new excuse and nickname for her. "Goodnight Jamal!" She waved a little before turning to go towards her duplex. She wondered what had gotten into her tonight. She found something exillerating about toying with someone obviously more powerful than her, maybe she just liked the attention... whatever it was she was kind of tired again and didn't wnt to think more of it right then... she was going back home for a nice long rest.  

[Awen Zyn]

Short Apology

Pyroth was more restless than he had been lately. Feeling time slipping away from him with the arrival of the next injections for Cassidy and Greer he wanted to see the whole island, enjoy himself as much as possible before he too fell foul of whatever fate awaited him. Today had brought him back to the jungle where he had spent many a night's sleepwalking. It loomed, practically daring him to enter, but he wasn't afraid of it. The sea he didn't like, anything on land was fair game.

However, he didn't want to head in unprepared, so he decided to take a wander around the perimeter of the dark forest, get his bearings before he went in.

It certainly was very dense foliage in there.

Just inside the trees and plantlife where Pyroth was stalking there was a rustling. It sounded fairly large, but something that attempted to be silent, stealthy. The sound came closer to Pyroth slowly... Each crunching step and shaken leaf kept getting neaer to him.... Then out from the bush before Pyroth:

Awen fell flat on her face, once again tripping over a root or a rock of something in the jungle. "Ow...." She mumbled thinking herself to be alone. She blinked when she saw herself staring at a foot. "Oh..." slowly she tilted her head upwards. The foot was attached to a leg! Continuing up she saw it was a whole person there before her...imagine that.

She started to get up muttering apologies when she paused, finally seeing the persons face. "Oh.... it's you..." She looked away a little embarrassed, of herself for the last time and for the rude greeting this time.

She tried an awkward apologetic smile. "I'm....sorry I didn't mean it like that..."

Pyroth froze as he heard the rustling, those horrible instincts vying for his attention once again. He even resisted growling as the sound drew closer and closer, the fine fur across his back and shoulders striving to bristle.

Then Arwen fell into veiw and he instantly dropped every pretence of hostility, if there was one person on the island he didn't want to intimidate any further it was the blue haired girl in front of him.

He didn't hide the vague cringe at her words, understanding just fine why she might not have been too keen to see him again. "Hello to you too." he stated with the vaguest of toothy grins. "No worries, I'm used to not being too happily welcomed, I don't blame you after the way I behaved in the cafeteria."

He shrugged faintly "Every day is a bad day when you look like this, doesn't make it right to take it out on you. Sorry about the vicious behaviour."

She blinked a little bit not having expected that sort of reaction. "I didn't mean it in a bad way. I just haven't seen you since the first day on the island, that's all. I honestly don't know where you went after that and I'm jsut surprised to run into you again." She talked really fast and seemed to shake her head as though she really didn't want his misunderstanding. "Really I... I should be sorry. I was just.. lost and confused and... well...."

She took a deep breath to try and calm her down. "Now that I see what's happening I'm not really surprised you reacted the way you did. I don't know I have a feeling I might react the same way were I in your situation..."

That's a lie.... She thoght to herself. You were in that same situation with Jamal. You didn't get angry..... you almost cried! She brushed away that little thought and decided it's best this way. She was after all half crying from frustration of it.... and she had never been one too quick to anger.... and besides she knew she was insane, so what Jamal said didn't really hurt her as much. Not to mention the fact she was still half at peace with the Doctor, he never lied to her after all....

But she wouldn't tell Pyroth that right now. She smiled a little bit and rustled around in her pocket for something. "I think we got off on the wrong foot. I really think we could be friends though." She gave him a warm firendly smile as she ever had. "But really I was just passing through um..." She grabbed his hand from his side and stuffed something into his palm, promptly taking off.

"See you later!" She waved over her shoulder, almost trippnig again over a rock this time, but saving herself at the last second.

Were Pyroth to open his hand he would notice a little blue flower with a note attached. Sadly, due to it being in her pocket the flower was in poor shape... but the note read "Duplex 21, really sorry for everything. Sorry for being delusional, stress and all. You're ears aren't that big either, I was actually refferingto Colche on that note, but you are fuzzy. But hye fuzzy is a good thing! I don't know what I'm becoming either.... but I'm sure whatever it is, is groser than a fuzzy thing you're becoming. Have heart... It should all turn out right hun. ^_^ Byebye then!
And forry again...
Awen"  

[Awen Zyn]

Gaming Goodness...

"Unknot. ...Come on, you stupid thing. Unknot." Em said, sighing as she yanked at the needle trapped between her terse thumb and forefinger. The black thread it was attached to was jerked taut, but the tangle in the middle still stared back at her in the face. Em rolled her eyes and pulled the thread from the needle eye with a practiced hand. She'd have to pull it out by hand. She tucked the needle through the denim of her jean leg, and relaxed on the entertainment room couch as she picked through the stubborn thread.

Awen entered the entertainment room looking like hell on legs. She had bags under her eyes from her lack of decent sleep and she didn't appear to be in that great of a mood. After what had happened earlier that morning with Emerwyn really it was to be expected. Little trusted and treated like a little kid. Maybe she should stop acting like a little kid then...?

Awen shrugged a little bit as she flicked a game into the Game cube and turned it on. She ahdn't noticed Emelyn on the couch up until she turned to go sit. Seeing her Awen sat just before the couch leaning against it. "Hey." She said absently before turning to the game.

Em hadn't heard anyone come in, or seen them, since she was bent over the knotted line like a bow-backed grandmother. It was only when she heard someone turning on the Game Cube did she look up, startled. Her eyes followed Awen as she sat, leaning up against the couch, and she wondered what the dejected sound in her voice was due to. "Hello," Em responded, folding the black material in her lap. ..."You okay?" She asked sweetly, leaning forward to catch the girl's expression.

Awen tilted her head to briefly take her eyes off of the screen. "Fine." She said again but her tone was still rather short. She turned to look back at the screen and currently was kicking the crud out of Mewtwo in Super Smash Bros Melee. She really didn't wantto be so short with Emelyn, after all it wasn;t her fault Awen wasn't trusted and looked so much like a child. But in Awen's mood she would either break down crying to the brown haired woman, which didn't help her childish chase at all, or yell at her and that sort of thing just killed friendships..

Emelyn didn't take the curt answer personally. The girl didn't know her very well, and she couldn't expect someone to open up to her who just met her. She decided not to push it, just leaned down near to her ear, and said in a soft voice, "I'm glad. It's the sort of place where... I hope everyone is fine, despite the circumstances. And I hope you have someone to talk to, if it's ever.... not fine." Then she eased back up against the cushion and unfolded the material in her lap. "I hope I finish this in time," she said, mostly to herself, and finished unknotting the thread.

Awen half smiled at Emelyn's words. Ya know.. she was trying and that alone helped... She even could almost chuckle at Em's odd wording but decided just to go with the subject change, even if it was unintentional. "In time for what?"

"Oh?" It took her a moment to remember she'd spoken out loud. "Oh this?" She held up the black bustier, seams still poking through the edges. "It's for the Halloween party. I don't know why I decided to make my own rather than just let them order it for me. ...Boredom, I guess."

"Halloween..party?" It took a few seconds for Awen to remember that Hargun had mentioned soemthing of the sort to her before, if briefly. 'Oh yeah the Halloween party." She smiled at the thought of all the fun to be had to Halloween parties...and then frowned again as Fox knocked her character out of the level and as she realised she had never really been invited to it.... But she would just... Go back adn kick Fox's a**, that's it. "What are you going as?"

"Ah.. huh huh..." she laughed, scratching behind her ear with her ring finger, the needle precariously close to her ear as she did so, "Well, actually, it's a little embarassing. I'm going as a Playboy Hedgehog. Y'know, instead of a Playboy Bunny? ...I thought it was funny at the time, I guess." She laughed. "Are you going?"

"Clever!" Awen grinned as she gave Fox the whooping he deserved. Kick my Roy's a** will you...? She thought it over a little while. How could she answer without getting bitter again....
"Oh I don't have a costume....So... I dunno..."

"No? Well, it's probably too late to have one ordered in- but you could make one." She started tucking a dart into the hip. "I could help."

Awen shrugged a little bit. "I don't know what I would be...or where I'd get materials... I mean really it's no big deal. Just a silly party anyway." She wondered vaguely why she hadn't really been invited anyway. Were only certain islanders invited? After all only Emelyn and Hargun had mentioned it.... But Hargun did say that all the islanders were supposed to be getting in vitations....

"Yeah," Em agreed, "but really, what else is there to do? Even if you're anti-Moreau, there's not much use in resisting his party- it's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. ...In any case, everyone is coming, I think. Even the anti-Moreaus. He obviously wants everyone to come, in any case. Aubrey gave out the invitations a long time ago."

"Well..... I'm not anti-Moreau anyway." She decided to get that clear. "Not..pro-Moreau either...on the fence at the moment really..." She leaned back agaisnt the couch a bit more just trying to be non-chalant, acting like it didn't phase her. Great, now she was adapting Jamal's habits.... "But I don't think Moreau is very Pro-Awen. I never got an invitation."

"Oh." Emelyn felt badly, now, for talking about it. "I'm sure that's not the case. I don't think anyone new to the island has gotten theirs yet. They've probably been so busy with all the new serums that they've not even thought about the newcomers invitations. Trust me, Moreau wouldn't exclude anyone. I think he has this big dream of us all getting along like a big happy family." She said the last three words in a cutesy, high voice... but refrained from responding to whether or not she was pro-Moreau. Partly because she knew there would be cameras in this entertainment room, and partly... because she didn't know anymore... where her loyalties lay.

Awen rolled her eyes. "Big happy mutating family... You're right Moreau wouldn't exclude anyone, he hasn't really been too picky with who is getting "invited" to the island now is he?" She sighed a little bit. Yeah that was very bitter, anti-doctor speak but she couldn't just take her anger out on Emelyn and she was just... They must have just been busy Emelyn was right.... "Sorry... just...." She rolled her shoulders. "I don't know everyones story and yeah the Doc's tried to help everyone it seems and.... yeah prolly just busy." She shruged. "I still don't know if I want to go. I mean a Halloween party without a costume? I can't even just go as a classic monster, I haven't started to change yet! I mean if I was changing and getting fuzzy I could say I was a half transformed were-wolf, if I was getting scaley I could be the swamp thing! But come on I'm nothing here..."

"Well, if you really don't want to go, I'm certainly not going to force you," Emelyn said in a kind voice, not wanting to make a point out of the issue if Awen legitimately didn't want to go. But just in case the subtext wasn't as true as the surface words, Emelyn pressed on a little further. "But if it's just the lack of costume that's keeping you from going, I really can take a whack at helping. ...Maybe you could go as someone else on the island, or as something that we can make quickly. ...Or even you could go as something ironic. Like... you could dress up like a witch and then carry a bag of beach sand. Sandwitch. ...Corny, I know. But it's just an idea." Em laughed. "Or you could go as a character in a game you like." She indicated to the figures on the screen.

She couldn't help but laugh at the utter cheese of the joke. "I'll think about it." SHe smiled a little bit. "Maybe i could just go as a regular human, huh?" She glanced back. "I mean that sort of thing will soon be rare enough on the island to dress up as huh?"

"Actually, I think that's pretty clever." She finished the dart with a loop stitch and started to bury the thread in the liner. Awen seemed to be cheering up- if only a little bit, and Em took it as a sign that she might press her a little harder. "So, who do you share a duplex with?"

"Uuhhh...." She paused alittle bit having to think about this. Thankfully she didn't quite have to pause the game though, she had played so many times it was just a subconcious thing these days to kick Mario, Marth and Mr. Game-and-Watch's a** all at the same time. "No one that I'm aware of...." She had never heard her neighbour if she had one.

"Oh. Well, then you've got peace and quiet for a while, yet. That's good." Her words were upbeat, but she'd actually been hoping for another answer- hoping that there was someone connected to Awen. She didn't like the idea that she might be 'alone' on the island. "So... who all have you met? Anyone nice?"

Awen ran through the list quickly in her head. "Lesse..... Well... There's you... Emerwyn, Lauren, Ian, Colche, Amaya...Pyroth...Jamal...." She smiled a little bit. Maybe she had been over reacting before with Emerwyn. After all Amaya seemed nice... Colche was obviosuly becomnig a good friend..thoguh she was certainly hard to relate to. She still wasn't sure if Pyroth had accetped her apology or not. She'd not seen Ian in days and...oh crap she had literally shoved Lauren out of her place. Which left Jamal and Emelyn as brighter points on the island. Though... Jamal, she didn't think, believed her. But he was being a lot nicer to her....Awen blushed a little bit but covered it up by 'accidently' dying in the game. "Oh come on I hit the jump button there is no way!"

She bundled up a bit of shoelace from her steel-toe boot, and forced the needle through it. She was done with the bit of sewing she needed to do for the bustier- the tail she'd add on later, and she still had to manhandle a pair of fishnet stockings away from someone. The 'death' sounds on the screen caught her attention, and she smiled, remembering the time she and her sister would play- and she'd lose, miserably. "I've never met some of those. Pyroth... Colche. I've never even heard of them. And I think Lauren was going by 'Thorn' when I met her. ...The others? I've only met them once."

"Thorn?" She asked a little bit. "Yeah that certainly sounds like Lauren." Awen smiled and nodded. That was a perfect nickname for the one she looked up to. "Pyroth, as far as I know, is kinda solitary..." She tilted her head a little bit. "And colche is the more innocent person I've ever seen.... I've seen her a few times now... and half of hte time she tries to run around naked." She laughed a little bit and shook her head moving into the multiplayer screen. "Wanna play?"

"Naked? Ah. Okay- I'm sure I've not met her, then. Everyone I've met has kept pretty well covered." She looked down at the Game Cube when the offer was made. "Depends on what you're playing. Some sorts of games I'm no good at... at all."

She had meant the Melee game she had been playing but she scooted herself over to the stack of games. "Let's see... I have a golf game, a baseball game, mario party six, the game I've been playing for the passed while..." She slide a few of the other games across teh floor to the couch. "Whatever you like Em."

"Ha. A noob. Never thought I'd be called that, actually." She got off the couch and made her way over to the tv on her hands and knees. The quills that she'd piled up underneath her goggles now fell free, and hung like thick bangs in front of her eyes. She wrapped her hand around a controller, and crawled back to the couch, where she sat cross-legged in front of, her head tipped back against the overstuffed cushions. "Sounds good to me. Fire it up, and explain to me as we go."

"Awesome!" Awen snagged the game back and popped it into the system. She got it set up and explained the basics, which playerwas best in what outfiedl position and why. She helped as much as she could until they started the game. "Play ball." She grinned a little bit.

"Ack," Em cried, laughing to herself as she stumbled through the controls. "Good thing you can't die in this game... Whoah! ...That was a little fast." She rolled her neck, cracking it. "You're pretty good at this. Well, you look fantastic up next to me." They played a little longer, and then Em laughed. "Hey, see- I'm getting a little better. ...Spoke too soon."

Awen shook her head sadly as the bottom of the nineth rolled around. "Emelyn, hun, you need to work on this a little... I've never seen someone..loose by so much." She couldn't help but snicker ath the score: 14-2. She couldn't help that arrogant part of her. She was a gamer through and through, she knew her game and..well... it was one place where she wasn't so reserved.

"Aw... come on! Look, I'm up to two! I'm doin' better!" She laughed. "Besides, you're good at this- it comes naturally to you. But I'd like to see you... well..." She looked around, and grabbed up the bustier on a whim, "do a loop stitch like this!" She laughed, and bopped Awen on the head gently with the slight fabric costume. "Whoops..." The game was over, and she'd lost. Quite obviously.

Awen rolled her eyes a little bit after she was bopped with a mound of fabric. "A tragic flaw it seems I cannot sew!" She wrapped her controller and put it neatly away. She left the game on and even switched Em's controller to first person. Incase she wanted to practice. "But I think I've had enough games for today." She finally stood up stretching. "Thanks Em...."

"Well, I don't know what you're thanking me for," Em said, pushing the pause button for a moment- she was going to play this until she got it... "you're the one that organized all the fun." She gave the girl an honest smile. "I hope you do come to the Hallowen Party, though. And it was nice seeing you again."

"Yeah it was nice to see you too. I think... maybe I will go to the Halloween party. And.. ther's more than just the fun now to thank you for." She waved a little bit ."So thanks..." She exited cooly with a smirk. "And don't forget the Star Batting I told you about huh?"  

[Awen Zyn]

And the waves...the waves.... they crash over me...

Timothy sat on his favorite Rock at the cliffside, this was the furthest he could get from everyone on the Island. It wasn't that he didn't like them, far from it, the atmosphere here had brought him out of a slump he'd been in for most of teenage life.

But away from people he could really... think about his music. He wished he had some way to share more of it, to be completely honest. But at the same time, he got nervous just playing in front of more than one person.

Then there was Vasile, he was one of the main reasons Timothy had been avoiding the village area as much as possible. As much as he wanted to see Vasile happy, sometimes just seeing him was painful.

Timothy reached down and scooped up a bug. One of the bad things about being way out here was not having food... fortunetly for Timmy (or perhaps unfortunetly) he'd discovered he had a taste for these things. One of the more bizarre side effects of being a skunk-person-thing he supposed.

Timothy hit the bug against the rock and then ate it. God he was weirder than ever now. He then strummed his guitar with his little claw finger, he'd gotten good at this. Atleast he didn't need picks anymore.

"Looking down from above,
Seeing all the smiling faces.

It makes it so painful,
When you know... your in love.

You can't deny the feelings you have,
You can't deny the pain that you feel.

But you don't want to be selfish,
You don't want to hold them back.

It's a bittersweet feeling inside,
On that I can't control.

A feeling of happiness
Mixed with a feeling of... loneliness.
Then a little sadness mixed in there as well.

You can't deny the feelings you have,
You can't deny the pain that you feel.

All I want...
All I want...
Alllllll I want...
...is to be happy."

Okay, so maybe he wasn't quite as over the Emo thing as he thought...

Awen, while once again roaming the jungle, had heard a sound when passing thecliff area. She hated going closer than shewas to the water, but the music drew her. A voice started in tune with the melody and she found herself moving closer until she could hear the words. At least the music drowned out the sound of water, that at least was a good thing...

Awen sighed softly listening. Such a sadly sweet song...
You can't deny the feelings you have,
You can't deny the pain that you feel.
These things can be related to quite easily, yet the musician, who ever he is, captured them in such a way it made them personal and universal all at once.

"Beautiful..." Awen smiled coming out from the jungle stepping out towards the figure. She took a brief look over the person before her. Tail.... he must have been there awhile yet. "Bravo."

Timothy was so caught in thought that the girls voice instantly shook him out of it. He lost his balance that he was using to sit on the rock and slipped back banging his head on the ground, his hands clutched his precious guitar almost instinctivly as he fell keeping it safe.

He pulled himself up rubbing his head. "Oh... hey... ummm don't think I know you. I'm Timothy."

Timothy didn't know what to say to the odd blue haired young girl. He hadn't expected anyone to be listening to his lamenting song.

Awen started as the boy fell off of the rock infront of her. "Oh gosh!" She tried to catch him or break his fall but.. failed in hte process and stopped just looking down at him.

"Um...Awen." She said in quick introduction before a concerned. "Are you alright? I'm sorry!"

She took a mental note to stop doing things to mke her apologise. She'd heard 'I'm sorry' come from her own lips much too often since she arrived on the island.

"I...didn't mean to eavesdrop.."

"No no! It's okay..." Timothy shrugged and smiled "I just didn't think... anyone... was listening."

He looked a little sad, he was glad she liked his music but he was sort of pouring his heart out in private. Of course he should have known, if he'd ever made it professionally. A celebrity's life is never private.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" he flashed a small fanged smile.

She smiled sheepishly. "Just... Out for a walk really..." She scratched her neck a little bit. "Needed to stretch my legs, I was just in the gamesroom for a couple hours with Emelyn and, fresh air was required."

She smiled a more warm and friendly smile. "And now I've found you, so, good things all around." She really was glad to find a new islander, she liked the ones she knew but she always had fun meeting new people too.

"Yes, it's good to meet you too." Timothy smiled. "I was just out here practicing my music."

"Sitting on a rock all alone,
Thought there was no one around.

Then I saw a blue haired girl,
Pretty and sweet with a smile on her face.

Came out here all alone,
When I thought there was no one around."

Timothy grinned when he finished strumming.

"Something short and silly, sorry, I do that." he grinned.


She laughed and blushed softly at the song. "Nothing to be sorry about! You hardly need practice if you ask me and really I'm honoured." She grinned a little bit. "I like it really."

She was doing quite a good job of ignoring the waves crashing below but she had to deep it up. She was getiing better...getting used to it... even if a little. f all else fails she can run further inland.

"So you..sit and play by yourself often then...?"

"All the time..." Timothy turned back to his guitar and tuned it a bit.

"Keeps me sane here and all..." he shrugged. "I mean it was why I originally came here. I was told it was like a artistic retreat."

"Didn't know I'd end up a skunk... I mean who the hell ever heard of a skunk musician." he sighed.

"I'd just spray the crowd's away." Timothy looked fairly sad at this point. He wasn't talking about what was really bothering him but that was almost intentional.

She frowned a little bit for the man. "At least you know what you're turning into. and I was told that this was a therapy clinic..." She sighed a little bit.

"But hey... No one from the island would run from your music, it's beautiful. And say can't skunks control that spray thingy of theirs? I mean you won't if you don't want to, from what I know of the little critters."

She tried to think of the brightside of things but the waves were pounding the rocks below as they were pounding in her mind. She looked passed the boy, accidently, something she'd been avoiding dooing and focused at last on the wide blue rippling surface below. She took an involentary step back.

"Something wrong?" Timothy asked looking sort of concerned.

He noticed Awen's sudden apprehension, but hoped he wasn't being too foward.

Her smile wavereda little bit her eyes moving to Tim again. "Um..." She couldn't keep her eyes there now that she had finally focused on the waves, they kept drawing her back. Her throat tightened. "Yeah... um... I actually have to get going though.. uh..."

She looked over her shoulder. "Food!" She laughed a little bit awkwardly. "I haven't eaten in a long while today and ya know i just got a huge craving for something. So I'd better uh.. head out okay?"

She waved stiffle. "It was nice meeting you Timothy... try not to worry so much okay? I hope to see you soon..."

Without anything else she darted back into the trees, moving as fast as she could away from the water. She cursed herself. Lauren and Jamal would definately be disappointed in her if they saw this....

Timothy shrugged "Goodbye Awen." he went back to his music.

Strumming a few times on his guitar he suddenly felt inspired.

"And the waves... the waves...
...they crash over me."  

[Awen Zyn]

Awen sat in the Caf finishing off a small salad. She honestly wasn't too hungry at all that day but figured she should eat before she went to the party. even if there was going to food there Awen never could stand party food... nothing but nachos and other snacks... SHe hated just filling up on junk without a decent meal.

She pushed around a cherry tomato with her fork. She was really lame... she looked at herself. Costume as is... normal human yup...real clever alright... She shook her head. Emelyn was just trying to make her feel better That was entirely the lamest thing....


Julian ambled into the cafeteria, walking straight to the food and taking up some chicken. He was feeling a bit better about things right now...although this place still left a bitter taste in his mouth. Last time he had been here...it hadn't gone well.

Noticing someone he had never seen before at the table, he proceeded a bit closer. A nervous smile touched his lips as he stood, holding his plate and a bottle of milk.

"...Do you mind if I sit here, Miss?"

His tail swished behind him.
Awen looked up when she heard a voice, not having noticed the man enter before then. Oh.. someone she hadn't met before... and... changed as most others. She put that on her tally, the only one besides Jamal who she knows that hasn't changed. Vaguely she wondered if he was pro or anti Moreau.

She smiled up to him. "Of course. Um... my name's Awen Zyn." She held out her hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Setting down his plate, he carefully shook the hand - being careful not to claw her.

"...Pleased to meet you. I'm Julian Vorpalle."

Shyly, he sat down, that nervous smile sticking on his face.

"...Are you...new?"

She shifted a little bit thinking. "Well.... new enough not to have changed yet... if that's what you mean?" She smiled warmly and popped that last cherry tomato in her mouth.

she let a moment of silence float through the air before starting again. "So um... Yeah I've been here a couple weeks... Nice place really, once you get used to the weather. Though for the life of me I still can't get over this time zone switch... well that might not be what it is but my sleep has been horrible since I got here."

She realised she was rambling a little bit. "Oh... so... How'd you end up on the island?"

He took a bite of chicken. She knew, at least.

"...I...was tricked." He nearly left it at that, not really feeling like discussing the matter too deeply. It would ruin his good mood.

"...They told me I was just writing an article. It was a lie. But...here I am."

She nodded and made a mental note of that. So the Doctor didn't just leave out parts of the truth he really lied for some of them. Lovely that's another negative for Moreau then...

She smiled. "Well.... on the bright side: it is a nice place, like what people would call an ideal vacation spot. And... uh... hey at least you're not afraid of water right?"

She chuckled a little nervously. She just loved Fraudian Slips.... she never knew what to say to new people like this and she just ended up blurting stupid things out. Reminded her of the gameroom incedent...

A feeble, nervous laugh - his smile broadened.

"...No. Heights, on the other hand, terrify me. I had trouble on the helicopter ride."

He sipped some milk, tail lightly flicking behind him.

"But...at least there's plenty of food here."

Awen broke into a grin. "See think possitive!" She chuckled softly and munched the rest of the salad and squirmed a bit in her chair. "So...." She was hard set for discussion topics at the moment.

"Going to the party?" She asked cheerily. "I hear it's supposed to be fun..."

Julian chuckled, dabing at his lips with a napkin.

"Yeah - I'm dressing like the Mad Hatter. I...er...crowds usually make me a bit nervous...but...." he almost said 'Cheshire wants me to go,' but stopped himself.

Where had THAT thought come from?

His smile twitched.

"...How about you?"

Awen nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I'm going as...." She blushed a bit with the stupidity of her "costume". She shifted a little wondering how to make it seem less lame.

"Well it was last minute. I didn't even really know about the party until yesterday. I've decided to go as something that's a little rare on the island. A natural human!" She spread her arms before dropping them to her sides. "You know.. for...lack of anything better..."

He laughed good-naturedly, smiling without a twitch.

"Actually, I think that's pretty funny. Wish I had thought of it...but it's a little late for me, now, anyway."

He tugged on one of his ears.

She smiled lightly starting to think that maybe her idea was good after all.... Awen actually beamed. Maybe it really was clever!

She nodded when Julian tugged his ear. "So I can see. Cute and fuzzy whatever you're turning into it looks like so far." She smiled a warm friendly smile.

"...A cat. At least, I really hope it's a cat." A sheepish little grin.

"...Otherwise...er...certain things won't make sense."

Awen tilted her head a little bit. She opened up her mouth to ask a question but thought better of it. Something about it just didn't feel right to ask.

"Well a cat would be nice." She smield sincerely. "Cute, fluffy...and they don't drink out of the toilet?" She couldn't help but chuckle. She always ore of a cat person than dog person...

She just.. wondered what kind of person she's going to become now that she's on the island...

"I guess so."

He stood up suddenly, glancing out the door.

"...I'd better just get a...er...kitty bag. I need to get ready for the party. See you there?"

She stood up slower, it's just polight after all. She looked a little puzzled at his sudden frantic behaviour. Yup, he was definately suited to be a cat....

"Sure Julian." She smiled brightly. "Can't wait to see your costume."  

[Awen Zyn]

Halloween Party

At least...what Awen remembers of it..
((Yes I'm going to keep up the individual thing as long as possible))

colour coding

Awen=blue
Julian=Indigo
Amaya=Green
Lauren=Dark Red
Hargun=Orange
Sabin=black
Cheshire=red
Ambrose=brown
Emelyn=Violet
The Dude=Cyan
Jamal=darkblue
Emerwyn=Olive

Awen stepped into the tent area, taking her shoes off so she wouldn't get the tarp dirty with the dirt or grime from her shoes. She looked aroudn at the decorations and smiled. Moreau certainly did a wonderful job. She saw that no one else seemed to be there. Good enough for now, she'd jsut hang out until others got there. After all other people had costume to prepare. Awen moved over to the snack table and grinned picking at some things. Sure she didn't exactly like filling up on this stuff, but some of it looekd just too creepy to pass up.

With a small plate she moved over to some chairs facing the village and she smiled. She'd had a good view whenever anyone else showed up. For now she enjoyed the spooky atmosphere alone.

Julian smiled nervously as he came ambling into the tent...a rather large top hat casting a shadow over his green eyes. An oversized green jacket hung around his thin form, a white dress shirt beneath - and a perky little bowtie around his neck.

His pants were checkered and rather too big - they almost totally covered his black dress shoes. But he didn't mind so much...in fact, he looked rather pleased with his outfit.

He tucked a stray strand of his slicked-back hair behind his ear, looking around.

The Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat all rolled into one.

How puzzling.

"HAPPY FECKIN' HALLOWEEN!" Amaya screeched as she entered the mostly empty tent. She was dressed as Alice from Resident Evil 2 and had even went far enough to dye her hair a startling red for the occasion. Many different types of plastic guns were hanging about her tiny frame, a pair of pistols in each hand as she flung her arms in the air and pulled the triggers...

... and water squirted out. Gotta love water guns! Most of the ammo and larger weaponry were for show, the two grey pistols being the only ones filled with clear water from the tap.

Her outfit was also void of any shoes, since she preffered to walk bare foot ever since her change.

Awen looked up at the two who entered the tent and grinned. "Happy Halloween Amaya!" She waved from the cluster of chairs. "Excellent costume Julian!" She possitively beamed. At first glance it didn't seem Awen had a costume. Indeed she was just in her plain clothes. She held up the plate she had. "Try the jelloy stuff it's delicious!"

Julian smiled timidly, tipping his hat.

"Thanks, Miss Awen." He grinned at Amaya, laughing at her ammunition. "...And YOU! That's...really funny."

He picked up a bloody mary from the table, having no idea what it actually was. He THOUGHT it was punch.

Not sipping from it yet, he put a few snacks on a plate.

Lauren walks into the halloween party fully costumed as... Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz?!

Well, she kind of looked like her, only with a twist. Lauren had painted her face pale as could be, dark circles under her eyes. The costume was ripped and torn and seemed more gothic lollita than anything. Her red slippers were sparkly red boots that came up to Lauren's things, very long boots considering how tall she is.

Undead gothic lollita dorothy from the wizard of ozz perhaps? She even had the brown pigtail wig to top the costume off.

She smiled nervously at everyone, "Hey Jul, Awen.... Amaya." Lauren kind of hoped Amaya wouldn't squirt her serious makeup off.

Hungry.... Lauren headed straight to the snack table and loaded up her plate.



She giggled and waved at Lauren too. The party was starting to get people filtering in. She looked passed the lot towards town and birefly wondered in Jamal would really come or not.... hearing Amaya comment on her lack of costume Awen shook her head.

"Not at all not at all!" She puufed herself up a little bit. "I am in the costume of something that is increasingly rare on the island." She spread her arms out as though Amaya had missed something obvious. "I am a normal human being!"

She giggled a little bit and flooped her arms back down. "Kinda lame... but I only heard of the party like..yesterday, what else was I going to do?"

With the whipping noise of a cape being tossed about in the night air, another top-hatted figure entered the scene. A tallish man with long (brushed!) white hair worn loose, pointed ears, claws and fangs wearing a rather authentic-looking Victorian suit - complete with cloak.

He looks around at the small grouping of people, flashes a toothy grin, and heads towards the concession table, picking up a goblet of the same red liquid that Julian mistook for punch, and a meatball on a toothpick before turning back to the small crowd of people.

"Good Evening~!" He grinned with an over-exaggerated "Vampire" accent and a laugh.

Hargun made her mad dash towards the tent area where she heard the voices of the others. She couldnt tell if everything was just so blurry from her vision decreasement or her crying, but she kept clear of the area and clenched her maid's dress and accessories wrapped in arms. Sniffeling, she found a nice unoccupied area of trees and threw her dress on.

I.. I don't want to cause a fuss.. I.. I just need someones help. Dont be a spastimistic mental case.. she thought to herself, and took a deep and shaky breath and slowly crept to the tents, squinting her puffy eyes all the way. She listened carefully for anyone she recognized, hopefully to snag them away from the group for a moment to talk.

She heard two people she recognized, Amaya and Awen, and tried to hunt for them like some blind person looking for their dropped contacts, only her hearing helping out the most now, too afraid to stare into a bright light that may turn up. Something told her she was walking right into the tent area where the whole group was..

Lauren turned and saw Awen, "And human, a rare speciman indeed!!" Lauren lifted up Awen's arm pretending to study in awww as she popped a piece of cheese into her mouth.

"HOLYGODCRAP!" Amaya jumped out of her skin as the complete stranger entered the party. Her eyes went incredibly wide and she leapt behind Awen for false protection, staring at the strange man who had just entered.

"Thanks..." She laughed nervously at Lauren, still somewhat creeped out over the strange man. Catching something out of the corner of her eye she double-taked and then stared, squinting. What was that...? The ears were friggin' huge and there was bright orange h-oh s**t HARGUN! Before anyone could stop her she bolted over. "Hargun! Oh my god, are you alright?!"

"Woah hey!" Awen had just been thrown around a bit with Amaya jumping behind her then bolting before her. She was pulled to her feet in the scuffle and wobbled a little bit, just with Awen's luck though.... tripping over the tarp flooring and falling right into the mysterious "transylvanian/frenchie" person guy.

But since she was so ratehr small she just bounced back and fell to the floor before him. Looknig up she gave a sort of sheepish grin. "Sorry...." She chuckled a little bit "Clumbsy...." She got up slowly and brushed herself off. "Um.... Awen Zyn." She held out her hand to him with a small smile. "Nice to meet you."

The strange white-haired man seemed to smile a bit wider as Amaya ducked for cover behind her friend. He shook his head and chuckled again after whetting his lips with his tongue. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, miss." He spoke to her, although the light danced in his red eyes, and it's hard to tell if he's being completely honest about that.

He nodded to Awen who introduced herself to him personally and took her hand in a firm grip. "Sabin. It's nice to meet you, Awen." He spoke, the French accent maintaining, and seeming much more natural than the introductory "Transylvanian" one." His eyes darted again to Hargun as she stretched out her wings to show Amaya, but he stayed by Awen.

Awen's smiled weakened a little bit under the man's firm grip. Something about him made her skin just crawl. but his accent was neat, she loved all sorts of accents. She glanced over to were Sabin had set his gae, Hargun. Awen didn't know what to do over there and was letting Amaya handle it. She just felt so awkward handling these situations. She didn;t know what to tell Lauren and he was only partly changed when she showed up on Awen's doorstep.

"Kind of scarey.... isn't it?" She said softly to Sabin. "I mean... I haven't even started changing.... And...well...." She gave a small shudder. "It's worrying sometimes...."

She was shaking a little bit. Seeing people with small features was one thing. Hargun.... was completely different. What could she do to help....Awendidn't know at all what it was like....

There was definately something unplacably creepy about Sabin. He saw her glance to Hargun as well and nodded. "A lot of people have been quite nervous... and rightfully so." he sympathized(?).

He gave her a quick look-over and quirked his eyebrow. "So.... pardon me for asking, but what are you supposed to be? I mean, there's the blue hair... but other than that you're dressed pretty normally."

"I'm the oddest thing of the island." She giggled softly to Sabin. "I'm a normal human being." She blushed knowing, for the fiftieth time she said it , that it was compeltely lame. "I've alwasy had this hair...well... sicne I started dyingit. That really has nothing to do with my costume though."

She glanced nervously back over to Hargun. Amaya has it under control... it's okay. You can't do anything anyway. You don't even know what it feels like to change the first time. She smiled a little up to Sabin. "So....do you know what you are yet....?...not the costume I mean.... but really.. going to be?

Sabin gave a full-out laugh at Awen's comment. "True! True! And clever. I like it." He gave a small applause to emphasize it.

"And it looks good - the hair I mean." Sabin searched his mind trying to remember what this woman was becoming. She was a newcomer, and admittedly he hadn't had much time to look at their files yet. It would come to him.

"Me?" The thought struck him as highly amusing, and he laughed again good-naturedly. "Who's to say." He gestured to himself. "What would you peg me for?" His eyes twinkled in amusement.

She blushed a little bit at both the compliments of her 'costume' and of her hair. Besides Colche no one really complimented her hair on the island yet. Sabin....didn't seem to be so bad. It must have just been that costume that was throwing her senses off. He really seemed nice after all.

She studied him for a moment thinking. What would this man be? His grin reminded her of soemthing but what she couldn't peg right away. Hmm.... My what big ears you have... all the better to hear you with.... and my what big teeth you have..... He did kind of have a wolfish grin.... hm. "I don't know really... something strikes me as 'wolf' but you just don't fit that exactly..... Maybe a tazmanian devil, oh but the ears don't fit right... hm..... some sort of predator anyway. Actually I'm not sure I remember what Taz. Devil's eat but honestly I rmemeber hearing they're pretty vicious when given the chance...." She shrugged caught herself right away on that one. "Not as to say I think you're mena or anything! Sorry..."

She wandered over towards Awen and Sabin, her glass full of the weird tasting liqued. She was starting to like the taste.

"HEY!!!" she greeted Awen again with her mouth full. "Left Hargun and Amaya alone... I'm not much help in those kind of things. Especially since she looks so god damn cute as a bat!" She couldn't hide her enthusiasm. "Hey, who are you?" She asked towards Sabin acknowledging his existance.

Sabin smiled at the compliments (in his opinion). "No offense taken! None at all. And I'll let Ambrose keep the honor of being the only wolf on the island so far." The image of himself as a tasmanian devil was certainly an amusing one. "I think their ears are round, however." He mused. "Well, I suppose time shall tell, yes? Frankly, I'm rather fond of the predatory animals, so no worries."

He glanced quickly over to Hargun as he was mentioned, but then back to Awen, not about to obviously eavesdrop. You could learn much more interesting things that way.

"So what about yourself? Any guesses? Or... hopes?"

He looked to Lauren as she approached, and gave her a small bow. "Greetings! Come, join us and our conversation!" he welcomed. "I'm Sabin. It's nice to meet you....." He trailed off, letting her introduce herself.

She smiled and nodded, at the comment on the tazmanian ears, she had thought something like that. Though she had no I dea who Ambrose was she was surprised at there already being a wolf.

Awen was shifted her weight thinking about what to tel Sabin when Lauren arrived and she grinned a bit. "Hi Lauren! Sabin-Lauren, Lauren-Sabin, yay we're all aquainted!"

She shook her head a bit. "And I know Lauren I can't help that sort of thing at all yet...."

Looknig back to Sabin she shook her head. "I don't want to be a fish..." She said softly. "But someone got me to thinking that's what Moreau has in store for me. When he came he said he would cure my hydrophobia.... and ...someone suggested it was because he was turning me into a fish.... but i totally don;t want that. Chipmunk or... or Lion or something, that would be cool. A sugar glider even better! But ...not a fish...or a bug.... yeah...."

Julian walked up to the karaoke machine, looking through the tracks...before finding one he liked.

He grinned.

And put it in the player, picking up the microphone.

"...Testing...one, two, three...testing...is this thing working all right?"

JULIAN. WITH A MICROPHONE.

Oh, boy.

"Hydrophobic?" Sabin queried, cocking his head a bit and giving Awen his full attention for a moment. "Though... I suppose becoming a fish would be a hard and fast way to get past that. That's the reason you came to the island?" The gears in his head spun, and suddenly clicked forward with an answer. That was right. He had wondered at the strange animal selection, but after speaking with her Moreau's choice made much more sense - and should certainly be fascinating to come to fruit. "But, I hope you get something you like. Furry and such." He nodded.


Satisfied that the mic appeared to be working...he pressed play and started to sing.

Surprisingly, the song was quite...boisterous. And Julian really had a very good voice - he really opened up on the stage after a few drinks.


"Breaking my back just to know your name
Seventeen tracks and I've had it with this game
I'm breaking my back just to know your name
But heaven ain't close in a place like this
Anything goes but don't blink you might miss
Cause heaven ain't close in a place like this
I said heaven ain't close in a place like this
Bring it back down, bring it back down tonight
Never thought I'd let a rumor ruin my moonlight...."

WOW. He was really getting into it - tipping his hat for emphasis.

"Well somebody told me
You had a boyfriend
Who looked like a girlfriend
That I had in February of last year
It's not confidential
I've got potential...

Ready? Let's roll onto something new
Taking its toll and I'm leaving without you
Cause heaven ain't close in a place like this
I said heaven ain't close in a place like this
Bring it back down, bring it back down tonight
Never thought I'd let a rumor ruin my moonlight...

Well somebody told me
You had a boyfriend
Who looked like a girlfriend
That I had in February of last year
It's not confidential
I've got potential
A rushin', a rushin' around....

Pace yourself for me
I said maybe baby please
But I just don't know now
When all I wanna do is try....

Somebody told me
You had a boyfriend
Who looked like a girlfriend
That I had in February of last year
It's not confidential
I've got potential
A rushin', a rushin' around....

Somebody told me
You had a boyfriend
Who looked like a girlfriend
That I had in February of last year
It's not confidential
I've got potential
A rushin', a rushin' around....

Somebody told me
You had a boyfriend
Who looked like a girlfriend
That I had in February of last year
It's not confidential
I've got potential
A rushin', a rushin' around!"

And it was done. He had no idea he could DO THAT!

She giggled looking over to Julian and giving him a little "yeeow!" call from where she was giggling harder before turning back to Sabin.

She smiled looking up at the taller man. His support, even thoguh she wasn't fully sure who he was, was very uplifting. "Maybe I came here to get rid of my phobia, yeah. But I'd rather not but thrown into the water, you know? Dealing with the issue, fine, living on a place surrounded by water....fine. But having to live in it? No way....."

She tilted her head slightly, almsot involuentary at the way she could almsot see gears turning in his mind. She wish she knew what about.... Something ...more was to this man that what he appeared, she was sure. "thanks for the furry vote of confidence though.. It helps." She couldn't help but look into his eyes still. What was he thinking....?

Sabin paused in the conversation to listen to the first person brave enough to try out the karaoke machine, and when he finished, turned to the stage and gave a hearty round of applause. "Good show! Encore!" He grinned as the usually nervous young man had gained the backbone to try it out.

Sabin shrugged at Awen. "True... but admittedly, what better way to get over a fear than full exposure to it. Dependence on it even. Well, that or it would drive someone mad! One of the two."

"And no problem. But until you do change, I guess one can always hope for the best."

Awen shifted her weight a little bit. The convorsation suddenly shifting to insanity was not a happy thing. She gave Sabin a little nervous smile but at the moment just wanted to get away. The creepy factor was a little too high.

She refrained from suddering at the curiosity, or amusement, that was in his voice at the thought of driving someone mad. Whichever it might be it was entirely too casual, and that was all too clsoe to home for Awen. She was sure he wouldn't be so casual if it were his psyche he was talking about that might be getting screwed up.

She shifted her weight. "Ya know.... Someone..uh was supposed to meet me here awhile ago... I'm gonna go see where he might be okay?" Yay, Jamal had become a decent excuse, better than the excuses he tries to play anyway...

She smiled slightly. "Nice to meet you though... um Sabin, right?"

She looked over to Lauren and smiled more sincerely. "I'll see you later, I gotta go find a certain someone...." She wasn't sure if Lauren had met Jamal or not yet... but she didn't feel up to explaining the situation. She was sure Jamal would like the snack table at the very least...

Sabin beamed a smile at Awen, not seeming bothered by her anxiety at the least - and oddly enough - she could almost swear it was more the opposite.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that your friend isn't here - good luck finding him!" He gave her a wave. "Hopefully I'll be seeing more of you, yes? It was nice to meet you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Awen forwned a little bit returning to the party. She looked around at thescene, hopnig maybe she had just missed.... But no. Sabin, Julian and Hargun weremall just down in the party area. She smiled, it's not like she had really wanted to get away from the party in the first place, she had just used it to get away from Sabin, he was very interesting and seemed nice...but there was that predatory nature she sensed in him that made her draw away to begin with.

She moved to the snack table and picked up some punch. No not the bloory maries people thought were punch...some real punch. She looked to Juliana nd Sabin by themselves and movedover to Hargun. She seemed to eed the company.

"Hey..." She said softly. "How you doin' hun?"

Hargun nodded to Julian. "Hey Julian." She then turned her head to Awen. "Im doing a bit better.. thanks. Still a bit confused, and itching.. and hurting." she replied and sighed. "Not as scared as before but.. I think Im better."

She walked over to the snack table and noticed a few cheese snacks, and used her thumb to p***k one and pick it to plop in her mouth. It didnt seem to tatse as good as it would usually for her.. her insane insect cravings kept screaming at her to find a fly or creepy crawly to munch.


"So Awen.. how are you doing?" she asked.

Awen smiled softly and nodded following her to the snack table. She rolled her shoulders a little. "Oh I'm fine, just fine really." She smied sheepishly. "Sorry I.... didn't go around before I...." Her stomached knotted as she let out a soft sigh. "I don't know I didn't know... how to handle..."

She grabbed one of those meatball things and popped it in her mouth giving her a few extra seconds. "I haven't changed...at all.. and Amaya seemed to be better at handling. i'm sorry I should have tried to help at least..."

"No, I don't drink often...."

Sheepishly, he turned away, tucking his knees up in front of him. He...suddenly...didn't feel so well. Cheshire was trying to get out, and he was reluctant to let him.

He shut his eyes lightly, trying to regain composure.

Awen glanced over to Julian. She looked from Hargun to Julian a moment before deciding just to stay where she was. She smiled a little at Hargun and looked over to Julian. "Hey, are you okay man?"

A visible wince came over him - the hat fell and rolled a little on the floor.

But it wasn't long before a low purr of a voice made its way out of him.

"...Just fine."

He bent down to pick up his hat and settle it back on his head, a wide grin on his face.

Awen blinked a little bit and since Hargun seemed to worryabout Julian too she thought it was okay to go over and see if he really was.... She walked over slowly and got a closer look. "Are you sure...?" She hadn't ever seen that cool look in his eyes before and his voice.. was definately different.

Awen had spent enough of her lifetime in therapy sessions and docor's offices to sense something might not be completely right. Or... it could be the alcohol? Probably the alcohol...but still..

"Well!" Sabin clapped his hands together with a smile. "I am glad to hear that, sir." He eyed him critically. The drastic change in mannerisms and all indications that 'Julian' was feeling MUCH more relaxed than he was a moment before suggested a change in personalities.

"And, you never did say... to whom do I owe the honor of speaking..?" While he took a sip from his mug, his eyes didn't leave the boy's figure.

He stood up calmly, song list in hand, and scanned down it happily.

"...You may call me Cheshire, Sir." A little bow, and a flick of the tail.

He looked to Awen and winked one bright green eye.

"...My turn to sing."

Hargun shuddered. Julian's voice was eerie and definately unfamiliar to the person whod she first met in the cafeteria, who sang so well earlier, and who greeted her as she came in.

Thats.. not Julian. she thought, and leaned over towards Awen to whisper.

"Cheshire? Is that still Julian.. ? I cant quite see him correctly.."

She blinked a little bit at the name and wink. "Chesire..." She repeated under her breath a little bit. Definately not.... Julian. Shifting her weight she wondered if the Doctor had been telling the truth about the therapy of other patients on the island as well as herself. It would fit in with a few people on the island actually... But Julian....Chesire.... whoever certainly seemed... clinical.

But as he was about to sing Awen said nothing more on the subject. Shedid enjoy Julians last performance after all... He had a lvoely voice and... Questions later, parties are for enjoying yourself, not for venturing deep into someone else's psyche....

She smiled a little bit and glanced to Sabin. "Hi again." She said briefly. She shifted her weight. She wasn't exactly afraid of him. Intrigued, perhaps. Maybe a little uncomfortable.... but not.. truly afraid. maybe it was just his vampire costume. Must be all that lore surfacing in the back of her mind. "Nice costume by the way..."

She turned to hargun and leaned towards her returning in whisper. "Julian....but..not really. It's Julian in body anyway, but... I think there's something.. wrong? Alter ego, split personality? I dunno I've seen people like him before in the waiting rooms and sessions at my doctors..."

Sabin's lip curled up in a smile at the Cheshire's introduction. Oddly, enough, Sabin didn't seem that phased by the shift in personalities.

"It is nice to meet you, Cheshire!" Sabin grinned.

He turned to Awen. "And hello again, Awen." He gave a small bow, seeming to be enjoying a private joke. "And thank you - I found it... fitting.. you might say."

"Likewise, I'm certain...."

He looked around the room at the others, a sly look sneaking into his eyes.

"...If you'd pardon me...I think I know what song I want to sing."

Awen smiled lightly and nodded. "It look good on you Sabin." She wondered why he seemed to be almost laughing on the inside. Something.. odd was about the way he looked at her. But she shrugged a little bit and looked back to Cheshire.

"Good luck hun." She smiled quite sincerely at him, even if she had no idea what was going on with him/Julian.

Sabin lifted his glass in a mock-toast to Julian. "Feel free - dazzle the ladies with your performance." He said evenly.

"And thank you, my dear." He responded to Awen with a bit of a smug smile.

He grinned, jumping up and starting the song.

"I plan to."

It wasn't long before the microphone was in hand, the song blaring...another boisterous one. Grinning all the while, he began to sing.

"So they say you're trouble boy
Just because you like to destroy
All the things that bring the idiots joy
Well - what's wrong with a little destruction?"

Well, now - Cheshire was a bit more...seductive? Energetic? Hard to say. But he certainly was into it, and he certainly wasn't bad.

"And the Kunst won't talk to you
Because you kissed St Rollox Adieu
Because you robbed a supermarket or two
Well, who gives a damn about the prophets of Tesco?

Did I see you in a limousine?
Flinging out the fish and the unleavened?
Turn the rich into wine
As you walk on the mean
For the fallen are the virtuous among us
Walk among us
Never judge us
Yeah we're all..."

He sang this next part with special emphasis, gesturing with a clawed hand.

"Up now and get 'em boy
Up now and get 'em boy
Drink to the devil and DEATH to the DOCTORS!"

A wink.

"Did I see you in a limousine?
Flinging out the fish and the unleavened?
5000 users fed today
as you feed us
won't you lead us
to be blessed....

So we stole and drank champagne
On the seventh seal you said you never feel pain
"I never feel pain, won't you hit me again?"
"I need a bit of Black and Blue to be a Rotation"
In my blood I felt bubbles burst
There was a flash of fist an eyebrow burst
You've a lazy laugh and a red white shirt
I fall to the floor fainting at the sight of blood

Did I see you in a limousine?
Flinging out the fish and the unleavened?
Turn the rich into wine
Walk on the mean
Be they Magdelen or virgin you've already been
You've already been and we've already seen
That the fallen are the virtuous among us
Walk among us
Never judge us to be blessed

So I'm sorry if I ever resisted
I never had a doubt that you ever existed
I only have a problem when people insist on
Taking their hate and placing it on your name
So they say you're troubled boy
Just because you like to destroy
You are the word - the word is Destroy
I break this bottle and think of you fondly!

Did I see you in a limousine?
Flinging out the fish and the unleavened?
To the whore in a hostel
Or the scum of a scheme
Turn the rich into wine
Walk on the mean
It's not a jag in the arm
It's a nail in the beam
On this Barren Earth
You scatter your seed
Be they Magdelen or Virgin
You've already been
Yeah you've already been
We've already seen
That the fallen are the virtuous among us
Walk among us
If you judge us
We're all damned...."

The song came to an end, and he gave a sarcastic little chuckle.

Awen was grinning listening to the song. She was caught up in it before long and was sad when it was over. But she laughed and clapped anyway. "Wow, good job Juli-uh- Cheshire!"

She really thought he was a great signer, whoever he may choose to be at the time. She tilted her head a little bit concidering singing a song herself. it seems like fun! But maybe later...

For now she just sipped her punch a little bit, she had almost forgotten it. Cheshire seemed a little... bolder than Julian, something quite more.... well... Sabin-like than Julian.

Hey she just met the guy and already she named a likeness after him. Awen silently chuckled to herself. Good job hun, labeling already....

At the conclusion of Julian (Cheshire's) song, Ambrose emerged into the light of the tent, dressed in a full-out musketeer uniform. It is obvious from the design and materials that the doctors spared no expense on many of the 'costumes' that they delivered to the subjects as per their request. It fits him quite well, from the swashbuckling shirt, fitted pants, gloves, boots, and of course the signature tabard and feathered hat. His hair is just barely long enough to be pulled back into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck..

And at his arm is a rather contridictory, but equally (if not more so ) stunning figure - Emelyn, garbed as a playboy 'hedgehog' - her curves accentuated by the black material.

He smiled, pausing at the edges of the tent,taking a look at the various festivities and members there.

Emelyn shifted her weight on her heels, and, surprisingly enough, didn't feel subconcious over the fact that she was standing in... well, mostly a leotard-like bustier and hose, and nothing else. It was Halloween, after all, and there wasn't anything like making people gawp-eyed at your concoction. Besides, there was something to be said about showing up on the arm of the most handsome man in the room.

She leaned over and exaggerated a whisper into his ear. "So how long do you figure is a satisfactory time to let people stare before we unlatch and mingle?" She said, teasingly.

Awen turned to look at the newcomers and laughed. She practically skipped over to Emelyn and looked at her costume "Oh my! You weren't kidding!" She giggled some more. "Great job on the costume Em!"

Looking as if she noticed the man hanging off of her arm for the first time she smiled. "Um.. hi there! I'm Awen." She was very enthusiastic at the moment. Parties brought out her social butterfly nature. She loved flitting from person to person in these things. It's rare she actually attached herself to one person for too long.

Before Emelyn could get a word out of Ambrose, people were skipping over from every corner to speak with them. She beamed at Awen, stepping away from Ambrose with one cursory 'I'll be back' glance at him over her shoulder.

"Thank you! And I do like your... 'human' costume," she laughed.

Ambrose smiled down to Emelyn, feeling for all the world like a chivalrous knight, swelling with a happiness that he hadn't felt in many months.

Even Julian seemed to be having a good time that night.

He looked over to Emelyn. "Well, there aren't that many people here - though at least two unfamiliar faces... and..." His eyes lit on Hargun, and he swallowed, seeing that someone might not be having as good as a time. She had changed again by the looks of it.... the poor girl... and her hands. He wondered if she would be able to draw still with how much they had changed. Hopefully, though, with the night's festivities, she could still enjoy herself. And he wouldn't draw attention to it.

Looking back to his lovely date, he replied, "we seem to have already made a splash, my dear. Would you care for some of the hours d'ouvres?"

He looked up to see a spunky girl with blue hair (but no other recognizable animal features) approach with a smile. "Hello there" Ambrose said with a chivalric bow. "It is a pleasure, Miss Awen. My name is Ambrose. Ambrose Maurlias."

She put a finger up to Awen, apologizing for the hectic nature of the party, and turned back to... dare she even think the word? Her... date. She nodded at his suggestion for food- but he was diverted again by Awen, and so she waited.

He drained another glass, watching the others in silence...then skulked towards the door, aiming to sit just outside.

He needed some fresh air.

Julian's tolerance for alcohol...wasn't...very good.

Awen giggled a little bit. So this was the one that Sabin had been talking about. the wolf. She grinned, Ambrose certainly seemd to show the noble nature of the wolf than the viciousness Sabin had. She was glad Ambrose had it, though he might just be playing his costume... like Sabin was. "Pleasure Ambrose, but just Awen please!" She hated formalities.

She smiled and nodded to Emelyn. "Well I better let you guys get to the snacks..." She passed them by going towards Juli-Shire and turned on her heel after a few steps. "Oh and try the jelloy stuff it's great!"

She grinned and moved closer to the Lauren. Playfuly Awen gave Lauren a little nudge. "Nice entrance." She laughed softly.

Ambrose smiled to Awen. "It's nice to meet you, Awen then." The formality and nobility seemed genuine enough despite the appropriateness of his outfit.

Hargun grinned as Lauren made her marvelous presence known.

"Hey Lauren." she exclaimed, actually getting tired of all the entrees.

She walked over and scooped some of the ants Lauren hadnt taken and tried to eat it likea handful of sunflower seeds. After chewing them, she looked around, everything unclear then asked. "So.. whose that with Ambrose?"

Lauren smiled at Awen's nudge, "Thanks, well sometimes I would think people get bored of all those Hey's and Hello's, wanted to spice things up a bit." She waved at Hargun. "Ah you love the chocolate covered ants as well! Oh and look, there's more bugs on the table!! Maybe I don't have to have them chocolate covered." She shuddered a bit. "Well, maybe I'm not ready for that QUITE yet."

She smiled at Hargun, "That's Emelyn, I didn't know they were dateing" She shrugged her shoulders.

Lauren nodded at Ambrose, Emelyn and someone she hadn't met yet but has seen transform... the snake girl Cassidy. She also gave a knowing smile towards Sabin who seemed to still be successful at blending in and even more so at being creepy.

Awen smiled. "Yeah that's true I guess..." She looked around at the tent starting to pick up. She realised just how few people she had actually met on the island. And wondered vaguely how many more there were. She looked to the one in the wheelchair and her smile faltered a little bit. It didn't seem to be quite natural. She wondered if the feathers were a part of her costume...but it seemed a little out of place?

She shrugged a little bit and decided for now just to refill her punch glass and move over to the clusters of chairs. She turned to Lauren and Hargun and waved a bit. "See ya guys."

Something just made her stomach a little uneasy and thought she might want to stay away from the growing crowd at the snack table for now.

Awen watched everyone mingling and smiled softly. She was glad people got along on the island. It wouldn't be too good if people just held hard feelings agaisnt one another. She wondered though how the whole pro vs anti Moreau thing played out normally. People were probably setting this debate aside for the festivities, so were any of thesegrins or smiles false? Halloween, she supposed, was the best time for such things.

She sat straight and stretched her neck a little bit to try to see around the slowly forming crowds. Jamal still hadn't shown. not that she had a one track mind of anything.... But she did have more purpose than just hanging out by informing him of the party. She wanted to show him that the changes of people were real and she wasn't 'trippin'.

She sat and sipped her punch a little longer when she realised. It's a Halloween party.... He would probably just think they're all dressed up! "Great..." She sighed heavily and leaned back in her chair. Real smart Awen...

She thought a little bit more. "Hmm... well maybe it would be fun" A mischevious smile crossed her lips at the torture her voice would inflict upon the islanders. She picked up the Karaoke list and began to thumb through the titles.

Awen looked up to see Lauren skimming the list of songs. She gave a large grin. She was glad someone else would be taking the stage. It seemed like a fun thing. She still was wondering what she would sing, should she sing.... Maybe something later would come to her.

Lauren smirked at Lauren her eyes hitting on Get the Party Started by Pink. "OH God! I know it's cheesy but I've got too... it fits!!" She smiled, "yeah luck I'll need that." Lauren rushed up to the mic and tapped it.

"Hello, I'm Lauren to those of you that don't know! YEah and uh... so" There was a little feedback. "The Doc gave us this great partay so I'm going to kick it up a notch... that or scare you ******** away!!" Lauren actually was highly animated behind a microphone, fun to watch at least as her lanky form emphasised her words to the extreme.

She turned on the song, a bit nervous but totally basking in the attention of the total room.

"I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started
I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started
Get this party started
On a Saturday night
Everybody's waitin'
For me to arrive
Sendin' out the message
To all of my friends
We'll be lookin' flashy
In my Mercedes Benz
I got lotsa style
Got my gold diamond rings
I can go for miles
If you know
What I mean

I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started
I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started

Pumpin' up the volume
Breakin' down to the beat
Cruisin' through the west side
We'll be checkin' the scene
Boulevard is freakin'
As I'm comin' up fast
I'll be burnin' rubber
You'll be kissin' my as*
Pull up to the bumper
Get out of the car
License plate says
Stunner #1 Superstar

I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started
I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started
Get this party started

Makin' my connection
As I enter the room
Everybody's chillin' as
I set up the groove
Pumpin' up the volume
With this brand new beat
Everybody's dancin' and
They're dancin' for me
I'm your operator
You can call anytime
I'll be your connection
To the party line

I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started
I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started
I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started
I'm comin' up
So you better you better
Get this party started
Get this party started
Get this part started right now
Get this party started
Get this party started
Get this party started right now "

Lauren jumped up and really got into the song, even though her voice kind of stunk, she was decent and how she animated the lyrics was entertaining. She was definately playing for some sort of response and not giving a ******** if it was good or bad.

During the song Awen couldn't help but laugh a little at Lauren and even sing some of the lyrics under her breath as Lauren sang them. When she was done Awen clapped and whistled even.

"Great job Lauren!" She called from her chair.

It didn't really matter if she was a perfect singer or not, it was great fun just watching people get up and moving at a party, which it was certainly doing.

Awen leaned back on her chair. She thought about the peopel the island and yawned softly. She remembered parties back home. they really had nothing on this. This enviroment was more casual...yet all at the same time less comfortable. There were always tons more people atthe parties back home, only a fraction which Awen knew.... and though she knewmore people here, and met those she didn't the scene was still awkward. Maybe..she just hadn't found her place yet.

She watched when Ambrose, Emelyn and the other couple were talking. She knew the other blond man but she...couldn't quite place why she would know him. She watched Sabin Hargun and Lauren when they were together. They all seemed comfortable enough.

Julian was the only one seeminly without a place, though accepted anywhere. So was Awen but it wasn't the same. She guessed that's why she liked being with Jamal so much. He seemed out of place too.... He was new as she was... he didn't yet cling to a group. Anti or Pro Moreau.... or whatever else there was here.

She hummed softly to herself a song that popped into her head that she had heard long ago.
"Hunting me down, there's no escape.
There's no way out, but trying to escape.
You're just insane, can't catch me.

Halloween, I'm sent to hear his voice on Halloween.
Halloween, can feel the Kiss of Death on Halloween. ...." She sung only to herself, leaning against hte side of the chair.

The Dude finally poked his head into the tent. He was wearing a towel. Well, relaly it was actually two towels, one from the back and one from the front, hanging on him like a ghost costume. He had cut out two holes for eyes, and a larger one for his mouth and was holding an extremely exagarted joint made out of dry palm leaves in on of his hands.

"Yo!" - he waved. "WOW. Look at all the lovely costumes ..." - he waved at everyone with his flipper

Awen looked up to the man she had obviosuly never seen before. Seeing his flipper she gluped a bit, it reminded her very much of what might be in store for her... He looked sort of...silly covered in the two towels. At least he has a costume, she reminded herself.

She smiled politely up at him from her place on the chairs but made no sudden dash to go meet him, as she did with others earlier in the evening. Actually... she was sort of getting hungry again so she stood to slowly, stretching a bit, and moved over to the snack table. She loaded palate with most of the things she didn't try already, she even put on a couple of those chocolate covered ants she saw Lauren snacking on earlier.

She concidered for a moment actually grabbing one of the alcoholic beverages. She was of age after all... well... by Canadian standards anyway, she wasn't sure what sort of system the island went on for that sort of thing... But in the end thought better of it and just grabbed some more punh. It was pretty good after all, and she never was much of a drinker anyway.

The Dude walked up to Awen and waved his flipper: "Yo. You are new. I'm the Dude. What's your name?"

She started and turned from the table when the Dude spoke. She hadn't noticed him approach her. She smiled a little awkwardly, but friendly. She looked him over more carefully. So this was the person lauren was talking about.... "My name's Awen...." She offered up some of the snacks she put on her plate. "You should try some of this stuff... it's really good."

The Dude took a mini quiche thing from Awen's plate that she was offering and put it into his mouth

"Yeah ... these are good! So what are you for halloween?" - he stared curiously at teh blue hair. "An anime something or rather?"

Then he turned around and saw Greer donning the show girl costume: "Whoo, girl!" - he waved at her from behind the towels. "Holly s**t!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"God dammit!"

Jamal stumbled into the party area as he tripped over the end of his costume and nearly went headlong into one of the supporting poles for the tent. Instead, he managed to grab wildy at a chair and stablized himself, saving himself much further embarrassment and a bloody nose. He pulled himself upright and quickly sent a glance around the gathering space, wondering if anyone had seen him.

The black man was encased completely in a white sheet, which coincidently, matched those found on all beds in the duplex buildings. He'd ripped two lopsided tears at the top for eyeholes and a small one for a mouth. He might have been a somewhat decent ghost if he had decided to keep his jewelry under the sheet; instead it lay over top of the sheet, pulling down heavily on the top of the sheet at his shoulders. Also, he'd somehow managed to tie his do-rag over the sheet as well. So, instead of a plain white sheet ghost, Jamal had made a sick parody of one. He didn't think it was that bad of an idea...but perhaps the fact that he was just a little stoned when he put that costume on didn't help.

"Jamal!" Awen grinned and jumped from her seat across the tent. She had disappeared back there when the Dude had turned his attention to Greer when she entered. Awen had been quietly sitting observing the scene.

Awen set down her plate of almost-gone goodies and strode over to him giggling. "Nice costume!" She hadn't really expected him to make a costume for the party but thought he wouldn't have one as she did. "Got my note then? I almost thought you weren't going to show."

Jamal shifted his sheet around so most of the extra was trailing behind him instead of in front whilst taking a look around, then paused as he saw several pairs of eyes focused on him.

"Ain't you never seen a ********' ghost b'fo?" he questioned loudly, though it was mostly directed at Emelyn (at least in his mind) because he knew her. His tone was light, with a hint of amusement and mock-severity. Any odd animalistic qualities he saw were automatically attributed to Halloween.

However, his attention diverted as Awen called his name. He nodded to her. "What up, shorty. Yeah, I got ya note...I didn't have no idea this was goin' on." If he could have preened, he would have. "I made this b***h ma self."

Awen grinned a little. "Well it's better than my costume anyway!" She shrugged a little bit as she had none at all. She giggled a bit. "Classic but with your own.... flare, huh?" She giggled and tapped his 'bling' at the word flare.

She wondered if Jamal would actually taek to noticing the changes in other people... or if he would dismiss it as Halloween things. That was after all one of the reasons she slipped him the note in the first place.

The Dude put his flipper protectively around Greer and puffed up a little since he was supposed to be protecting her now from the newcomer.

"We'll just say it's costumes for now, okey, hon? IF he even asks. Don't worry." - he patted he ont eh sholder.

Waving at Jamal and Amaya, he grinned: "'Sssup, bro! You ghost's all gangsta even in after life ... I'm the Dude, and this lovely lady here is Greer. Nice to meetchya. Come join us, both of you."

Jamal laughed a bit. "Yeah, got a little Jamal flava...I ain't yo average ghost." He clumsily tried to shift the eyehole into a better position while looking back at the group.

"What up," he said, maybe a little stiffly, to the blonde haired man. "Da name be Jamal. Yous got a diff'rent kinda name...Ain't heard no one called Dude b'fo."

Emerwyn finally steeled herself up to come to the Halloween "Bash."
She found the whole thing overall out of place, and really didn't want to go. But, seeing as she had requested a costume (which she never tried on til this night) and she needed somewhere to go to get her mind off of Ian, here she came.
The room was bustling with activity. Almost everyone she knew, and then some, were there.
She all of a sudden felt self-concious about her costume, as she did when she first got her new, more revealing clothes.

She was dressed as a Dryad, a tree nymph.
She had fake bark covers on her upper legs and arms, and part of her torso. Her top was a green and brown corset piece with "leaves" along the top, covering her chest.
She was wearing a very small green "leaf" skirt, with brown stockings, which cut off at the ankle. Her feet were bare. She had heavy green make-up around her eyes, and actually took off her glasses. Leaves were in her hair, as well as green highlights. A flower choker wrapped itself delicately about her neck.
Overall, she was very impressed with the costume, and that's why she actually got up the nerve to wear it.

When she walked in, she immediately began drifting towards the drinks. She figured she'd wait for someone to talk to her.



Awen grinned up at the tall man. She looked back to the group and her smile softened. she was actually feeling out of place now that she was the only one without a real costume. But she ignored that awkward, not fitting in, feeling and just went with the party.

She glanced over and saw Emerwyn enter the party she smiled a little to her but made no formal greeting. She wasn't sure what to say to her after the awkward parting last time... Soon she just turned ehr attention back to Jamal and the other group.

Ambrose smiled politely to the newcomer, Jamal he said, through the thick ... ebonic... accent. "Nice to meet you, Jamal. Emelyn said she'd previously met your aquaintance." Ambrose tipped his feathered hat politely with a smile.

"And I like the ghost costume. Good job making do with the short notice - you arrived after the formal invitations I presume?" Given he hadn't changed yet... and the invitations went out a few weeks ago.

Jamal more or less stared at Ambrose, even if he didn't really mean to outright.
"Uh...yeah," he said, stumbling through Ambrose's 'extensive' use of vocabulary, not having a real strong idea of what was just said. "I knows Em. Lives upstairs. And no one sent me a note 'bout this party...found out from Awen."

He nodded to the blue hair girl and poked her seeing a slightly less cheerful look on it than was there previously.

She jumped a bit feeling Jamal poke her, she chuckled softly and poked him back. She looked over to Ambrose and nodded a little bit. "Well I figured that he didn't get an invitation because I hadn't either. I just sent him a note incase no one else told him about it... I kinda... wanted him to meet the... islanders that have been around longer...ya know?" Hinting at the obvious without actually saying it. She didn't really want to push something on Jamal again, because he might get annoyed instead of just thinking she's trippin.

Ambrose smiled encouragingly to the two as they took off dancing. Things were actually starting to feel better around here - the obvious overshadowing problems aside. At least he could safely say that he felt happy for his two friends as opposed to jealos.

"Well, I'm glad you could make it to the party, Jamal" Ambrose smiled. "And you too, Awen - I hadn't had the pleasure of meeting either of you before tonight.

Ambrose turned to the concessions table and picked up a plate, putting a couple of the small finger sandwiches on it, munching on one of them as his date had wandered off and wasn't around to share a dance with. "Have you tried some of this? It's quite tasty." Ambrose smiled. "Though I fear they may have gone a bit excessive in the Halloween-themed food.... I'm not sure if the bugs there are supposed to be a joke... or not." Or perhaps a jab at some of their changing appetites. "Regardless, I have heard that some people in other countries eat them" He gave a grimace at the thought. "But I haven't exactly tried them myself..."

The black man eyed the insect-laden table with a great deal of apprehension, his nose wrinkling underneath the sheet as he approached the table to peer at the rest of the food. "I sure be hopin' no one gonna eat those. Where I come from, we stomp da s**t outta them things...not serve 'em up in a damn bowl."

He prodded one of the finger sandwiches, expecting to see a leg pop out of one of them.

She laughed at Jamal and Ambrose's reactions to the ants. "They really aren't that bad boys!" She proclaimed and grabbed one from the bowl. She held it up. "It's chocolate after all, right?" She popped it in her mouth a chewed. Take that for bravery Jamal, she grinned.

"I can't believe you two big strong men are afraid of a little chocolate covered ant." Her eyes flashed to Jamal letting him know this is yet another time she was showing him up and she knew it.

She pointed to the jello. "But if you want something safe the jelloy stuff is great." Grabbing another glass of punch she sat back waiting for Jamal to be done. She was going to be nothing but skin and punch if she kept this up....

Then he walked up to Jamal and Amaya and smiled at the blue haired girl: "You wanna try this dancing thing? Dont' worry, I'll lead. Want to try?" - he asked nonchalantly.

She blinked a little bit when The Dude approched her and asked to dance. "Well.... I..." She hesitated another minute and glanced briefly up to Jamal. "Sssure....why not? But..uh... I can't really dance at all...so..yeah..."

"Uh uh, shorty. Jamal ain't skerd of no bugs. Get dat straight," he said with attitude, moving his hand away from the sandwich that be poked and leaving it there. Seems he wasn't big on manners.

Or big on the musical choice. A groan and a expression of dismay were both muffled accordingly by his costume as the latinesque music started to blare.

"...what kinda party be this anyway?" He glanced around the room again, looking for something he might have missed. All the parties he'd been to had....other...sorts of festive qualities that this one was sorely lacking.

"Ah, but here in lies the beauty of dancing with me. I know how, more or less. So you just follow my hands. And it'll be fun, I promise."

He took her hands into his flippers and did an easy spin. A very easy spin, where the girl just, kinda, folows along. It worked out quite well.

"Seee ... easy!" - the Dude grinned

She laughed a little bit as she was spun. "Easy...." She smiled a bit. She was a little hesitant but looked closely at his flipper. She hopped that she wasn't going to get these...

She stopped and looked over to Jamal. "It's jsut a classic party ya know? And I was only kidding about being afraid of ants.... afraid of a little shorty, maybe, but ants? Naw.... Hey you don't mind if I...take off a big with uuhh...Dude here do you? I'll be right back I promise?"

She was worried at leaving Jamal alone, though he was older and much bigger she felt like she had him under her wing as far as island stuff goes and she'd rather not make him feel left out either...

Jamal watched Awen be whisked away and shrugged. He went back to browsing the table, picking through things here and there and taking what looked to be safe onto a plate. Despite his distrust of the food, his plate grew overburdened rather quickly.

Now he just needed a drink. When he spotted the alcohol, his eyes lit up.

Bingo.

"Easy as pie." - he nodded and dragged Awen off to the dance floor to join Greer. Man, Greer was really shaking those gills. Hey, better view form here anyway. The Dude was spinning Awen carefully for the most part of the dance, b/c it was the most fun part of dancing anyway, but when they didnt' spin, he had a conversation going:

"So Awen, why is your hair blue?"

Awen was grinning ear to ear. With The Dude leading this really wasn't too hard. Though she did...step on his toe every now and then, not that it would hurt much if at all.

Shrugged a little bit at his question. "I don't know. Because the chemicals in the work a certain way when you apply it to your hair it dyes it?" She wiped the stupid smile off her face at her lame attempt at a joke. "Well, see... I don't really know." She laughed. "That sounds stupid but... yeah. I was in like grade eight and saw a box of blue dye on the shelf at Shoppers... I bought it and dyed my hair and kept dying it blue ever since. I just.. like it I guess?"

The Dude smiled: "Fair enough, Awen. It looks nice!" - he sent her for another spin. "So how'd you end up on the island? And how do you and Jamal know each other?"

From the corner of his eye the Dude noticed Jamal's move and decided to come hang out with the black brother once he's done with this song. Greer seemed to be twirling happily with Ambrose and the Dude liked to socialize. Esp if he could chalk off his flippers on Halloween for today. The Dude was not the fun of the inevitable "Welcome to the Zoo" speech.

She faltered a little bit. "I came to the island for therapy..." Her hands gave a nervous twitch against the Dude's flippers. "Hydrophobe...." She said softly.

She didn't really want to get on that subject right now so she just went on with the second question. "Oh I met him in the gameroom while back.... and..." She was going to say how she had saved him from the jungle because he was lost..but decided against it. "met up with him in the jungle later. I... told him about the ...experiments but he.. thought I was trippin." She sighed a bit.

Speaking of trippin..... Awen tripped over the Dude's feet and this time didn't stop herself. Her hands slipped out of the Dude's flippers and she ended up face first on the floor.

..."Ow..."

Hydrophobe ... the Dude pondered that whispered confession. Hydro meant water, phobia, as far as he understood, meant fear. But being afraid of water? That didn't compute in the Dude's mind. How can one be afraid of water. He must have misheard what hse whispered. So preoccupied was he with thinking about it that he didn't pay atteniont and let his charge clip

"Oh s**t!. Sorry, sorry ... sorry man" - he bent over and helped her up, looking totally mortified for such a finsih to the song. He looked liek an as, while AMbrose had finsihed his dance iwth a smooth little spin ...

"Very sorry ..." - he said one more time, sounding resigned


She slowly got up. "It's...okay my fault my fault." She gave a little embarrassed smile. "But that's enoguh dancing for me I think.... th-thanks for the dance." She bowed her head a little bit and ducked away. She flopped down beside Jamal and sighed. "You know I think someone up there just hates me man..."

Jamal pulled his feet from the table and gave Awen a sympathetic shake of his head. "I saw dat...you a'ight? That dancin' s**t you guys do is dangerous. Too much twirlin' and s**t," he chided, sliding her his plate that had a cookie of some sort on it that she could have if she wanted it. "Crazy white people."

He winked as he said the last comment, hoping to make it look like he was just messing with her. He didn't really mean to offend her.

She glanced over at the Kareoke machine and jumped up. "OH!" She had just thought of something. She rushed over and flipepd through the list. "Does anyone mind if I....?"

The Dude grinned at Jamal and jocked: "Who you calling white?" - there was an overly wide grin there. One could say that he might have waited half his life time to pull a line like this on a black guy. "What, if it doesn't have word Ho in it, it's not music" - he grinned.  

[Awen Zyn]

Halloween Party Continued
((Omg I found the character limit...))

Awen heard the comment which the dude spouted to Jamal and frowned a little in worry. Quickly to draw attention away she tapped the microphone to the kareoke machine. "Um... yeah I guess this is on."

She shifted her weight a little bit looknig to the people there with an embarrassed little smile. "I don't really know how good I am.. but in the mood to uh... sing something. I don't know why but this song sort of popped into my head and well uh... yeah...."

She looked back to the machine and fumbled a little bit. "Okay so I do...um..this button?" The music of her song "Poison- The cover version by Groove Coverage" started quite suddenly and rather loudly. She yelped a bit and jumped back to the mic. "Well I guess it was that button." She laughed slightly....

She started the song her voice seemed nice...if a little shakey...

(I wanna love you but I,but I better not)

Poison

(I wanna love you but I,but I better not)

Poison

Your cruel device
your blood, like ice
One look, could kill
My pain, your thrill...

She started picking up and seeming more confident now. Taking the mic off the stand she started to get into the song now...

I wanna love you but I better not touch
I wanna hold you, but my senses tell me to stop
I wanna kiss you but I want it too much
I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison
Your poison running through my veins
Your poison
I don't wanna break these chains

(I wanna love you but I,but I better not)

Poison
Awen was by this point moving and grooving to the beat and even gave a little wink in Jamal's general direction, though with the people around who knew who it was too....

Your mouth, so hot
Your web, I'm caught
Your skin, so wet
Black lace, on sweat

I hear you calling and it's needles and pins
I wanna hurt you just to hear you screaming my name
Don't wanna touch you but you're under my skin
I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison
Your poison running through my veins
Your poison
I don't wanna break these chains

She set the mic back on it's stand blushing profusely. She shakily wandered back down and took the cookie Jamal had offered earlier going back and nibbling on it silently.

what had gotten into her?

Jamal's brow quirked as the Dude more or less interrupted the conversation he was having with Awen but flashed him a smooth smile and shrugged.
"It ain't gotta have ho no where in it to be good. Need something wit' a ********' beat. Something ya can feel in ya' chest."

He glanced up as the music cranked on and sat back, wondering what Awen was going to sing. He'd never heard it before...that he remembered anyway, but the lyric alone were enough to catch his attention. How...seductive. The black man was faintly amused watching her sing and he caught the wink.

Ambrose looked up as Awen began singing, respectfully watching with a smile. "Nice work, Awen!" He called to her when she finished, clapping.

Awen took a long swig of her punch still blushing. She finished the cookie off and giggled a little bit. She honestly didn't know what had gotten into her at all on stage but she smiled faintly to Jamal but when she got eye contact shelooked away blushing some more.

She wondered vaguely if someone had spiked the punch when she wasn't looking or if she was just on a natural buzz or.... maybe she was trippin? She snickered at the thought.

Jamal chuckled mentally, playing cool and casual while Awen lit up like a damn christmas tree, and took another gulp from his beer.
"Yous neva told me ya could sing," he said nonchalantly, though a small smirk peeked at the corners of his mouth. "And what a song..ain't heard it before. You lookin' a little heated up."

It was fair enough to say his interest was perked at this point...not that he minded. If things were headed where he thought they were, he wouldn't mind maybe taking advantage of it.

Awen gulped softly tittering nervously. "Well uh.... I never had an opportunity to sing until now? And if you were paying attention instead of crashing around in the bush you would have heard me in the jungle!" She decided to try to clam with a little matter-of-factly sort of speech.

But it didn't help much so she took another sip of her punch at the heated up comment. "Uh.. well you know.. um the lights up there get uh..pretty hot you know..." She smiled a little bit. "The song is... I don't know it is just.... I heard it somewhere and well it has a good beat anyway..."

He glanced over again at the newcomers. "Seems like there may be even more budding romances on the horizon" He smiled.

Jamal shrugged, again keeping his nonchalant manner, and tugged his ghost costume back on properly. "Yeah, prolly the lights," he agreed, though still he couldn't help but grin a -little- behind the safety of the sheet. Privately he was almost congradulating himself; he still had game, apparently.

Romance? Maybe...but knowing Jamal, it was going to take more than just a little bit of blush and nervous giggles to shake him into keeping anything serious. However, he was not one to object to some fun. That part was up to Awen just like it had always been for any other girl.

After taking a nice deep breath Awen finally managed to get the blush to go away. she glanced a little over to Ambrose. She had felt eyes on her and heard something but couldn't quite make out what it was..... Probably not important anyway.

She gave Jamal a nice big smile. "So... Are you enjoying the party so far? What about the island? Have you met many more people, besides at the party I mean? I cannot believe how many people there were here, I met a large chunk of people just at the party!" She settled back into her normal self, no seductive just happy comfortable freidnly Awen.

Wandering back into the tent came a white-haired man that Awen met previously that evening.
Sabin, still bedecked in the Victorian cloak strode confidently in, surveying the grouping of some new faces with an attentive grin. A wonderful mix of people he hadn't met yet on the laboratory side of things.
There was, however, the young blue-haired girl that he had given the willies earlier. Admittedly, now with the company of her previously missing chaperone.

With a predatory grin, Sabin walked in their direction. "Helllo again Awen." He grinned, displaying his fangs.

"Ah Sabin!" She smiled a little bit and motioned for him to sit. "Where did you run off to? I didn't realise you even left...." She looked betwee nthe two for a second before... "oh! Um... Jamal this is Sabin, Sabin this is Jamal." She smiled glad everyone was getting aquainted, though knew it lacked the warm fuzzies....

Jamal more or less ignored Greer and Ambrose. He wasn't impressed with the younger blonde for various reasons...the girl, he didn't really have any sort of prejudice against yet. Except her costume was really realistic and that was vaguely worrisome.

"The party's a'ight, I guess. Not too busy though...brotha's used to partyin' in packed spaces, ya know. As fo' meeting people, I ain't met no one really b'sides herr at this thing," he drawled, adjusting his bling around his cloth-laden neck. "Ain't many people on da island though...and I prefer da nighttime. No one out then really."

Jamal eyed the newcomer and gave him a nod. "What up?"

"The night..." She smiled. "It's really nice on the island Jamal. You should stop by my duplex sometime, I'm usually up at night...." She meant it in a purely innocent way but due to her song earlier and how things were progressing, she blushed a little bit before rambling.

Sabin nodded and stretched out a hand to Jamal. "Glad to meet you, Jamal" Sabin commented with an odd glint in his eye.

"Been enjoying your time so far?" He asked.

Jamal chuckled. "A'ight. Maybe I will," he said in response to Awen's invitation before looking at Sabin and his extended hand. His expression grew somewhat guarded, but he shook hands with the stranger, remembering vaguely that someone had mentioned that this Sabin guy was one of the Dr's lackeys.

"It's been a'ight I guess...but yous guys are lackin' a damn 7-11 'round here," Jamal commented, somewhat seriously, propping his feet back up on the table.

Sabin met his hand with a particularly firm grasp. The smile (or the intensity in his eyes) didn't falter to Jamal's comment, almost setting his stilted responding laugh off as creepy. "Yes... well, unfortunatley with a group of only about twenty or so of us, the cafeteria's about as close as it gets."

Awen rolled her shoulders a little bit at the tension Sabin had created. She looked between the two and stood up quickly. "Say! Does anyone want something from the snack bar over there? Uhh... I was just gonna go refill my punch so..." Even though she still had plenty of punch left... Lame excuse Awen...

She noted the fact she had taken to that word way too much lately 'lame'. She pushed that thought aside. "Jamal?" She smirked a little bit hopingto clear some tension he had. "I could bring you over some of those ants you happen not to be afraid of?"

"That's some s**t, man," Jamal commented to Sabin, displeased by the fact that the man wasn't at all sympathetic. "Brotha ain't used to not bein' able to get a frozen pizza 'n a slushie wheneva I want it." He completely disregarded the fact that even if he had a frozen pizza, he wouldn't be able to cook it.

Again, his gaze darted to Awen as she stood up and stammered something about punch and those damn chocolate ants. "Go 'head and bring 'em. I ain't gonna eat them though. That s**t's nasty."

Sabin chuckled. "I take it then, that you've tried them already?" He quirked an eyebrow. "But anyway, from what I've heard, requests can be put in through the labs and they can order things for you. So I'm sure they could get you a microwave or something with which to cook frozen pizzas... or there's always pizza day in the cafeteria." He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "I could also suggest branching out, but from the sounds of things, you don't seem too keen on trying new foods."

With no request from either of them she left for the snack table. Rummaging around at what was left of the food she made a small plate. Honestly she had had enough of this stuff herselfbut maybe if she brought a little bit of everything they'd pick at it a bit...

While she was away Awen got to thinking of how she was acting with Jamal, that song...everything. she shook her head and sighed to herself. What was she honestly doing? Jamal.... he was really handsome, and she enjoyed his company and...damn he was hot.... but... Really was she fool enough to fall for his smooth act? She had known guys like that before and if they stood for anything Awen knew Jamal wasn't really looking for anything serious... Tht's not really how Awen would want her first.... She blushed.

Barely knew this guy and already she was thinking about? She shook her head. Lack of sleep, the damned humidity or just the stress from the island was obviously getting to her. She wouldn't even be thinknig this sort of thing right now back home. Not.. that she didn't have these thoughts but...she just met him really! And even if... He wasn't looking for serious anything, he makes that clear enough... maybe she should just ...back off before she got herself into asituation she didn't know how to handle.

Turning back to the boys and brought her plateful of snacks. She didn't seem quite so cheered as she had been before. This thing really got to her now. She set the plate down on the table and smiled. "There you go, lots of choice guys." She said the cheer in her voice so obviously fake. She sat back down in her seat and tried to act like nothing was up by sipping her punch.

She just caught the last words of Jamal. "Oh you're going then?" She gave him a half smile. "See you later then I guess Jamal, it's probably better if you didn't just eat this junk food stuff anyway."

When presented with all the snacks, Jamal was pleased, but a little miffed only because he was trying to get away from the strange guy who kept giving him odd looks now and then. He smiled at Awen though. "Thanks, shorty. Imma be right back, a'ight? Then maybe we can get some real music up in herr."

She gave him a genuine smile now. "Alright Jamal sounds like a plan then." Really seeing his smile she couldn't help but feel a little happier and hearing that nickname of her's some of her doubt lifted as if she was intoxicated ith it. She never had a nickname back home after all...

"Well, you go find yourself some food then that's more tasteful to you." Sabin nodded to Jamal. "I'll be seeing you!" He called after him as he departed with an aire of 'I know something that you don't'.

Turning to Amaya Sabin picked up a rather realistic-looking finger-shaped sandwich and crunched down on it after flashing her a fanged grin. "Well, I seem to have caused enough disturbance for the moment. I shall leave you to your food, young lady, and return at some later point." He winked at her before turning and heading out to the night air again.

"Oh but I...." But it was too late Sabin and Jamal both had gone. "....wasn't hungry..." She sighed heavily and looked a the plate she brought back.

Suddenly once more very alone she was left with her thoughts, and her food. "Great..."She mumbled to herself and grabbed one of the cookies feeling a little miffed. "Just great...."

She was left alone for the moment and her thoughts weren't getting any more uplifting. She concentrated really hard willing for Amaya or Emelyn or Lauren to come into the tent and save her from her thoughts. But... she didn't quite see any of them.

She shifted her weight in her chair and just buckled down. Humming another little tune to herself.
"I've lost my battle before it starts
My first breath wasn't done
My spirits sunken deep into the ground

Why am I alone?
I can hear my heartbeat
Silence all around....."

The cookie crunched a little as she bit into it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Awen shook her head after a short while. this was a party damnit she was supposed to be having fun. She always does this, over analize things. She was going to change on this island anyway, why not loosen up a bit? She giggled a little bit at the thought. Maybe.... just maybe...

She smirked a little bit. It would be... interesting anyway, but shook her head. Whatever will be....will be. Yes or no, do or don't. Only time will tell. Besides she was probably just getting ahead of herself... With seeing everyone change around her she knew it was only a matter of time before she did too. Her mind must be rushing.... she wanted to get everything from a normal life as she could, she supposed, before she started changing as well...

She just... wanted to stay normal. Failing that, she wanted to experience everything normal that she could while she could. After all, who knew what could happen once you've changed fully? But it's not like Moreau was changing people completely into animals...right? Her stomach knotted at the thought. Just... animal traits...right? After all No one seemed to be shrinking at all, at least not much.... Hargun didn't seemed to be shrinking to the size of a bat or anything. So yeah...just...the traits of certain things...

Way too deep for a party wasn't she supposed to be lightning up? She glanced back to the stage. Well.. few people were milling about, it doesn't seem like anyone was really dancing.... hmm.... just to cheer her up maybe....?

She moved over and flipped back through the listings. "Hmm..." After awhile she chuckled. "Well I figured it wouldn't be there anyway but still..."

She hopped back up and took the mic. "Alright, well the machine doesn't have this but I figure to honour a little bit of my Canadian roots So A Capella it is. Sorry, it's lame, cheesey....but I used to love this song. Canada's Really Bigby the Arrogant worms." She giggled a little bit at the stupidity of this all but... it cheered her up.

"When i look around me,
I can't believe what i see
It seems as if this country
Has lost its will to live
The economy is lousy,
We barely have an army
But we can still stand proudly
'cause canada's really big

We're the second largest country
On this planet earth
And if russia
Keeps on shrinking
Then soon we'll be first
(as long as we keep quebec)

The usa has tanks
And switzerland has banks
They can keep them, thanks
They just don't amount
'cause when you get down to it
You find out what the truth is
It isn't what you do with it
It's the size that counts!

Most people
Will tell you
That france is pretty large
But you can put
Fourteen frances
Into this land of ours
(it'd take a lotta work, it's take a whole lotta work)

We're larger than malaysia
Almost as big as asia
We're bigger than australia
And it's a continent
So big we seldom bother
To go see one another
But we often go to other
Countries for vacation

Our mountains
Are very pointy
Our prairies are not
The rest is
Kinda bumpy
But, man, do we have a lot
(we gotta lot of land, we gotta whole lot of land)

So stand up and be pound
And sing out very loud
We stand out from the crowd 'cause
Canada's really big!"

She laughed to herself a bit. "Thanks for indulging this poor homesick Canadian."
She hopped off the stage feeling much happier.

Lauren was gone for longer than she expected to be from the party. First there was the bathroom, then she stepped outside and hung out in a tree watching the moon by herself for a bit. She loved that she could see the moon out here, and the stars those were things she couldn't see in a city of smog and things she missed of her first life.

What was she on now, number 3? It was a wonder she stayed sane, well for the most part. There were those bouts of being a bit sociopath but the mongoose was taking that ugly part away from her. Faster than she was comfortable with sometimes.

Walking back into the tent hearing Awen singing a funny song Lauren clapped. "WOOHOO!! Go Canada, never been there but I heard that... it's big." She laughed at the stupidity of that statement.

Jamal returned shortly after Awen's last song, looking decidedly more chilled as he strolled. He reeked faintly of some sort of smoke that clung to his costume that anyone near him could smell. It was likely Jamal didn't care.

"Darn straight!" she shouted over to Lauren. She laughed and went to grab some more punch. Her throat was extremly dry.... she looked over and saw Jamal coming back to the party and waved a bit.

"Hey Jamal, have a good supper?" Frrom where she was currently she couldn't smell anything.

Jamal slithered into an open seat in Awen's general vicinity and flopped his arms over two chairs on either side, making himself comfortable.
"Uh...yeah. Yeah, it was real good," he lied from behind the sheet, softly chuckling to himself. "I heard ya singin'...yous like the weirdest songs."

She smiled lightly sitting across from him. Still just away from the smell, but she caught a whiff of...something. Not knowing exactly what it was she just let the smell slide.

"Yeah it was just a stupid little song that I learned in highschool... I wasn't feeling very well once you guys left so I decided to cheer myself up by singing something stupid..." She shrugged a little bit with a smile.

Jamal nodded thoughtfully, or at least in an attempt to look thoughtful, as he sprawled there. "Where you be from, exactly?" he queried, missing the part about her feeling bad for now. He was, however, curious where she hailed from. Maybe she was from his old hometown?...well, probably unlikely, but still.

"Chatham, Ontario." She smiled proudly at it. "It was a decent sized city...but not too big like Toronto or anything... Had a really good ringette and girls baseball team...." She grinned a little bit... she had been on both teams after all.

She shrugged a little bit. "Well... It's not really that special but it was a nice place to grow up anyway."

"Oh," was his only reply. He had no idea where Ontario was, let alone a city in it.

The black man was getting restless though; he kept fidgetting and looking around at the mostly empty tent. Seems like the party was winding down for the most part...and he couldn't blame them. This whole event really wasn't his kind of scene, plus his costume was starting to annoy him more than amuse him.

Awen noticed his fidgetting and sympathised. The party was sort of getting dull.... and it was getting sort of late. She rolled her shoulders a little bit wondering what to do about it. "Don't seem very comfy in your costume anymore huh? See, that's what is bad about these things, costumes always get uncomfortable..."

"Yeah, true dat," he agreed, shifting more in his seat until he finally decided to tug his costume off. The man didn't see much point in keeping it on...it was late and it was likely that anyone who was going to show to the party had already, thus seeing the costume. It dropped into a puddle of white at his feet and he kicked it so it fluttered feebily into the air and dropped just a few inches away from its original position.

"Didn't do much hall'ween bullshit back home. Aint got not money o' time for that. Wun't safe to go out anyway."

"Ah.. I've always loved Halloween. It's a time where people get to be...." She blushed a little back thinking about her first stage preformance. "Someone they're not really..." She was glad the costume was off though. It was sort of silly to begin with and yo could never see his face really with it on.

"People ain't always needin' hall'ween to act like somethin' they ain't really. People do it all da time. At least, what I seen." He shrugged some and leaned forward so his elbows were propped on his thighs, his hands clasped, and he rested his chin on his hands. "Gotta do it to get by sometimes. Ain't nice...truth always better than a lie, but...gotta break a few rules now and then."

He chuckled though and glanced at her. "But I knows you meanin' just like dressin' up silly and whateva. Most people ain't runnin' 'round wit' sheets on 'n stuff."

She blinked a little bit. She felt really stupid at that point for she really didn't mean all the costumes. She sat back in her chair shifting her position and crossed her legs grinning a litle bit. "Yeah costumes and stuff..."

She couldn't relate at all with Jamal right then with what he said. She always had people who she could trust around her and she rarely was in a situation where she had to lie. And... well... she never was lied too very much at all. Or.. maybe she was just too naive?

She fidgetted a little bit before standing up. "You wanna... I dunno get out of here or something? I think I've seen a little too much of this place right now..."

Dammit, of all the nights it had to be this one. After going back to her duplex she had accidently fallen asleep for a few hours. Cursing herself under her breath, she made her way slowly back into the tent and looked around for Hargun. Was she even still here?

Spotting Awen and some man she didn't know, Amaya took a few steps forward but stopped herself. What if that guy didn't know...? There was NO way in hell she was going to do 'tha talk' again. Maybe she should just find Hargun without them seeing her...


"A'ight...we can roll out if ya want. It's 'bout time for the party to end anyway, I figger."

He got to his feet and kicked his costume away under a table. The man didn't notice the scaley-faced girl at this time.

After going and comming from the party so many times over, Hargun didnt know weither or not she was there and wandered around the village area for a while and caught sound of the tent and the inhabitants finally. She strolled down and crept in.

She could hear Awen.. and someone she obviously hadnt met. She attempted to look with her poor eyes and finally caught sight of Amaya's bright red hair.

She lifted and a 'wing' and waved, hoping shed see her without being required to shout out.

She smiled and turned to leave taking a couple steps towards the door with Jamal before noticing Amaya. "Oh, hey there Amaya."

She looked up to Jamal and smiled a little bit. "This is Jamal, Jamal-Amaya." She paused a second. "She's sixteen, but older on the island than either of us." She figured she would get that out of the way before anything got brought up. Though she was fairly certain Amaya had been safe from Jamal to being with... she was just making sure, mistakes canbe made after all...?

Lauren stepped out from lurking unoticably in the shadows when a while after observing Jamal and Awen... they appeared to be flirting. She wasn't sure how she felt about that but didn't trust Jamal around Awen for some reason.

She waved towards everyone, "Hey! Actual people here at the party now!" She waved to Jamal, "Hey, I'm Thorn." She gave him a predetory smile, hopeing to imply 'hurt my friend and you die' from her glare.

As she looked around the tent she caught sight of Hargun's wing-like hand and smiled. But as she went to run over to her she was cut off by Awen. Wincing she forced on a smile and waved her long, clawed fingers. "Heh... hi Awen. Jamal."

Why was she telling him her age? Why was that relevant?

... ANYWAY! s**t. She didn't want to blow the two off but Hargun was over there and she needed her and... crap.

"Hi Thorn!" Yes, a distraction! After waving to her friend she sloooowly began to wiggle her way towards Hargun. Hopefully they wouldn't notice... even though the many plastic guns around her clicked everytime she moved.

Jamal peered at Amaya's face, an odd expression flitting over his features before a smile cracked. "What up. Nice costume," he quipped, indicating the scales, then glanced over to Lauren who had seemily come out of the woodwork.

"Hah...now everybody be showin' jus' as we gonna leave," he said none-too-softly, giving the strange blonde a once-over and determining her to be too young without even asking. Plus the fact that she was practically leering at him...well, whatever. He'd dealt with frigid bitches before. "Yo," he said in response to her greeting, giving her a stiff nod.

She smiled awkwardly at "Thorn" and Jamal, distracted too much to really say anything to Amaya to leaving. She didn't want Jamal and Lauren to fight this early though, she really looked up to both of them for strength and yeah... "Heh.. um, hey Lauren, having fun?"

She looked up to Jamal. "Well if you want we don't really have to leave if you want to stay and try and get this party back up and running...?"

Lauren smiled at Awen and Jamal, "Awww, why ya leaving for?" She kind of had a clue, or geussed something about that but asking the question might make it akward to them, which is what Lauren hoped for. Her slitted eyes still glaring on Jamal, arms crossed as she tried to look as tough as Lauren could.... forgetting that she was dressed as Dorothy. But at least it was an undead gothic lollita Dorothy!

Awen shrugged a little bit. "Change of scenery. I've been here almost all night and was getting a little bored to be honest." her excuses seemed extremely valid. Indeed Awen was naive to the fact that leaving a party together was something to be gossiped about. She didn't even seem to note Lauren's suspisions of it actually. nice in her own little bubble of ignorance.

Jamal shrugged. "Don't matta' ta me...but it sorta got a little cold in herr," he said to Awen, giving Lauren a neutral, casual glance. Frankly, he wasn't scared of the little blonde girl and no amount of armcrossing and glaring was going to do it. s**t, he'd beat the s**t out people before. He didn't appreciate the standoffish nature when the girl didn't even know him and it irked him sufficiently that he shoved his hands in his pockets to make fists instead of drawing them into the open air.

Not that'd he ever hit a girl unless...well...they deserved it.

Lauren backed down a tad, still on guard. "Ah, well yeah I can see that." She hands in her apron pocket, rocking on her feet. This situation turned akward, why would she care if Jamal and Awen went away together and maybe they weren't.

Thorn suddenly felt bad for jumping to conclusions, "Colder outside." She said to Jamal feining ignorance.

For a moment Awen frowned at the hostle nature seeming to be radiating from the two. She should have guessed something like this would happen, but why did Lauren glare at him like that in the first place? Why did she start this stuff now at the party. Awen shifted her weight a little bit.

"Well... uh..." She wished she could just say something and those two become friends but she knew that wasn't going to happen. "Well, I was thinking about heading tothe gameroom or my room for some games' she grinned up at Jamal. "So I could own his a** again...." Leveling her gazeshe still held a smile for Lauren. "So it shouldn't be too cold inside right?"

Despite Lauren's change of heart, Jamal's good mood was effectively ruined and that was a feat considering he'd been high as a kite after he returned from "getting food". He wasn't up for anymore social nonsense at the moment. At least, not anywhere that people usually congregated about this time of night.

"Listen, shorty. Yous can stay and hang wit' these peeps if ya want...brotha's headin' fo' the beach or somethin'. Ain't feelin' into staying 'round herr for right now."

He grabbed his do-rag from the mount of sheet on the floor, having forgotten it was over his ghost costume, tied it back on tight over his cornrows, and retrieved his 'bling' from the same source, carefully arranging it back over his neck.

"Oh but..." She started, she really didn't want to just leave Jamal alone. She wanted to talk to him and maybe help his mood a bit, after all it was sort of her fault for letting all this happen.... but the beach? Why did he have to go to the beach...?

She sighed a little bit and looked up at the big man. "Well.... if you want to Jamal..." Her mood with all this conflict had successfully been dashed as well. She was concidering just going back to her room and kicking some a** with Kilik to try to improve her mood. Maybe..even call the night entirely. She wasn't sure at this point.

"But I don't think I'll be sticking around anyway. Like I said in need of a scene change..."

Lauren felt accomplished in fending Jamal off of Awen, for now anyway. "Yeah, bet he wanted to make it real warm for you." She said as he started to walk off.

"See ya, don't drown or anything." Lauren said after him, not really meaning it.

She hoped Awen wasn't too mad at her, but she needed to protect her if possible. If Jamal was after more than booty he could wait.

Jamal ignored Lauren completely, even though he really wanted to smack her. He, however, addressed Awen.

"Well, dat be up to you. Brotha's goin' to the beach...I ain't forcing no one no where." The last sentence was said very pointedly for Lauren's benefit before he turned and headed away from the tent and melted into the darkness.

For a second she watched Jamal leave before turning to Lauren. She wasn't exactly...happy. In fact she seemed to be quite... upset and angry. Her expression couldn't decide on one single thing so it decided to look angry, but lke she was going to cry all at the same time.

"What is that supposed to mean Lauren!?" She burst finally.

Oh god, now she felt like a heel. Normally that wouldn't happen she would gloat in her accomplishment of causing discord but not now, she upset Awen.

"Um," Lauren bit her lip then let it explode out, "He was looking at you like a piece of meat, I saw it, I know guys like that." She didn't really mean it in a racist way, she would be the same to a white guy who looked at Awen like that.

Damn, she got herself into a mess.

Awen sighed heavily. "Jamal is my friend Lauren." She said sternly. "Sure he looks at me but so what? Maybe a little attention is good for a change!" She tried to calm herself down, mentally count to ten. She got to On-

"I mean t's not like I would really do anything, for god's sakes I just met him besides all the other stuff happening on the island. And despite what he may seem like at first glance he's really more of a gentleman than you think. I mean he refused t look and hit on me before because he thought I was too young! I mean that sort of says something about a bit of his morality, so I'm not really worried about anything happening against my will, besides I doubt the Doc would condone that kind of stuff huh?" She really was ranting wasn't she? She knew she was probably just stressed about everything and finally just snapping but..she just..couldn't help herself. "All my life Lauren I've been nothing but the friend. Or the goody two shoes. The innocent one. So guys kind of cleared away, they didn't want that hell we all know what they want. But for once, foronce my rep as a goody two shoes sn't known and a guy actually noticed me! Sure iIm going to flirt and god damn me if I love the attention! But I would like to think that I had a bit more respect from you to trust me to make my own decisions Lauren. I am a freaking adult, after all. And who knows what I'll be turning into, I mean even if I did make the choice to sleep with Jamal, that's one: my choice and two: maybe one of the only things that will make me more human. I mean there are so many things I haven't done and god damnit I've lost the opportunity for all of them. Moreau is taking away my humanity so what the hell is wrong with trying to stay human with human feelings as long as I can!?"

She suddenly ran out of steam, completely at a loss for what to say. This pause finally got her to realise what the hell she was really doing. She just... Oh god she was an idiot.... Lauren.... She didn't mean to yell at Lauren. She.... oh no...

Lauren was near tears, what was that... tears? She held her head down her hair over her eyes, feining a sneeze to wipe the water away.

"I... I.... I..." She was stuttering this was hard to say, "I'm sorry I just don't know. I got protective. You know how aweful guys can be on the streets, seemed like every guy I knew was always looking to break in a new girl, one by one." Oh gods... not those memories, anything but those... block block block....

"I was tall enough and tough enough to fight them off, always stood up for my friends. Geuss that's why I got tough all of a sudden. You're right, you're an adult, I'm the kid here... even though only technically one year from it and adult or minor doesn't seem to matter where I'm from. But yeah, sorry... I just hell I don't know but sorry." She felt bad...really bad. But she still didn't want Awen to sleep with Jamal and didn't quite know why.

Awen's mouth moved for awhile with no words coming out. She had never thought to see Lauren, younger than her but the toughestperson Awen had ever met break down like that and almost cry. And she caused it.... Her stupid.... stupid words.... How could she... What could she.... She was stuck between a rock and a mighty hard place right now.

"L-Lauren..." She said much softly her voice shaking. A couple of dropplettes of water fell from her eyes. "I.... am so sorry." She knew it would never be enough... "I never grew up like you did, I never had to face...what you did. I never...had to be tough...."

She paused a little bit and tried to smile for Lauren. It was..feeble, but she managed one. "I really do appreciate the intension Lauren. I know you're jsut trying to protect me.... and god I am so sorry for shouting at you...."

But she couldn't leave it at that she just had to explain.... "I guess it's just been a lot of stress I've been burying in video games lately and.... I'm jsut terrified of what's going on here. I...yeah I cling to Jamal because... he makes me feel normal. He didn't believe me when I told him the truth. I'm sad he didn't but I'm glad too. Because when I'm with him I can forget that I won't be able to leave this place. He makes me forget my worries and questions and nightmares of what's going to happen to me, to everyone here. I just.... want to be normal Lauren. I mean I know you're really excited about all this. And as much as teh Doctor is helping me with my phobia, I assume anyway, and other people on the island I am still terrified. I guess well yeah.... I just want to be normal.... flirt like a normal person... have fun like a normal person... tease and joke and play like a normal person. And yes I can do those things with anyone...but Jamal is the only one I know who is still normal.... and he arrived about the same time as me... That really means soemthing to me and I don't know why."

She hung her head and turned heading out slowly. "But...hell that's really no excuse for yelling at you, you were just trying to help..." She coninued on her way, but not quite out yet. "I'm sorry Lauren.... god damnit i didn't men to hurt you..."

Lauren shrugged, sniffling a bit. "I'm not hurt..." she lied, to Awen and herself and now was starting to feel better... like something got hit that was needing to be hit for a long time. "Ima.. fine... yeah... I'm fine" She smiled a bit. "Nah, shout at me all ya want. I deserve it and I can take it. I'm sure you won't loose what's important of yourself, no one can take that from you. Maybe try thinking about that will make ya feel better. Just don't turn towards escapes that will end up biting you in the a**." She wasn't really sure what to say.

Moreau was a good guy... right? God if he was so good, why did he hurt everyone? "Don't be scared, that'll get ya no where fast." Her mind scrambled for the right words... nothing came out.

"You really are wonderwful Lauren." She said smiling over her shoulder. "I'll take care not to yell at you again, okay? And hey, i'm always scared, I've been scared about other things at other points in my life... I'll get over this eventually...." She paused a second and took a ncie refreshing breath.

"Moreau will help with a few fears soon enough. I guess just next time I see him I'll get the truth from him, instead of having to sit and wonder and worry...right? he's helped a few people already...adn I can tell other's lives are better here. I just... have a lot left behind. But, like always, life goes on, right? We'll live through this, at least I think we'll live through this..." She wasjust jibing the whole process.

"So no worries. but honestly I'm heading out for a bit. I think I definately need some kicking a** with a big stick time...." She gave a little wave over her shoulder and moved back for her duplex.

Lauren bit her lip hard... was smiling and went to hug Awen. She pulled away afterwards letting her leave. "Thanks... it's nice having a friend." Jeez, Lauren was so soft and squishy on the inside right now.






Awen yawned slightly stumbling back into the tent. She had had enough time alone with Kilik and defeating random people so she soon returned. She tried to put earlier events out of her mind and really Soul Calibur butt whooping always works nicely for that sort of thing. But it did make her thirsty...and was she addicted to that punch or what? Without really glancing around she moved right for the snack table, now looking rather poor from a night's worth of use.

Sipping at her new punch she glanced around. She saw someone leave the food table Oh it was....that..guy she met earlier.... he had coem with Emelyn...what was his name? A... Am..no...An...yeah Anb-something... that dosn't sound right maybe..Andy! Yeah that was it...had to be it Andy.... Then to the figures she previously hadn't noticed out on the dance floor and....just about spit out her drink. Was that...yeah the Doctor and....and some girl she never met. And... Uh oh... that Dude guy didn't look very happy...

Awen had a thing or two to ask the Doctor, hey maybe that was a ood way to break up the fight before something happens?

Awen smiled a big 'having fun at the party' smile as she moved to the group. "Ah I was wondering if you were going to come to the party Doctor Moreau!" She smiled and looked to the lady at his side. "I'm Awen Zyn, hi." She nodded and smiled to both the Dude and Andy.

She looked with a more serious expression to the Doctor. "Um...can I by chance...um.. tlk to you about something Doctor? I knwo this is a party and all but I'm having certain...thing I need to talk about.." Her eyes darted nervously to the Dude. She was just trying to draw the doctor away so that the conflict wouldn't grow anymore. Looking back to the Doctor she hoped he might get the picture. She did have some things to say anyway...

Moreau:
Moreau looked between The Dude and Ambrose, he didn't look suprised either. From behind the glasses he was wearing he gave a half grin.

"I assume your intending to disrupt my date despite my late arrival to this little event." he gave a half mocking grin. Not suprised and on some level enjoying the attention.

"Later Ms. Zyn, at the moment I am on a date." he shot a glare towards Awen as well.

As the good doctor spoke to him and Ambrose, the Dude's face became a mask and he looked down, clenching his right fist even harder. His whole body gathered up into a spiral of unreleased energy, ready to be freed at any given moment.

It was when the good Doctor had turned his face toward Awen and was speaking to her that the Dude punched him hard in the jaw. He knew that this would probably be his first and last chance to punch the sneering a*****e, so he gave it all he had. And the Dude was quite a strong man, with biceps practiced from hours upon hours of propelling self thru the ocean. So yeah ... Dr. Moreau most likely saw little birdies ...

Aubrey:
Aubrey's happpy demeanor crumbled instantly as the Dude surprised the doctor with a hard with a surprised hook. She just froze for a few moments, then -

"NICK!" she screamed, trying to steady/hold him. Her first instinct was to call the code to initiate the chip response, but unless the Dude came at him again, she didn't want to resort to that yet.

She helped Moreau into a kneeling position and put herself between Dude and him, shooting the Dude a very stern look. He would have to go through her to get to Moreau again.

Ambrose's blood was already starting to boil as the insults were directed to the two of them - he himself hadn't even said anything yet.... and then Ambrose's eyes went wide as he saw the Dude strike out agains the doctor. This was the Dude's second attempt on violence towards their malevolent captor - the first time had been interrupted by that "Thorn" woman... this time... Ambrose couldn't help but stare as the scene almost seemed to unfurl in slow-motion, the doctor's head snapping to the side as the Dude's flipper-fist connected with his cheek.

"Dude! Whoa! I... I..." Ambrose spluttered. For all his experience, Ambrose felt his hands tied in a real fight - especially one going on in front of him. Should he help the Dude? Break it up? It was a party! But... it was the Doctor!

Ambrose felt like a heel not doing anything. Especially in front of The Dude... but on the other hand, Aubrey WAS their last, best hope for ANYTHING going right...

Awen was hurt by the Doctor's glare. She had just been trying to help stop a conflict. But the Doctor really hadn't listened to her and....

The result was clear. She was shocked at first speechless as the others. She had no idea what to do freezing at the sight of it. She had heard how many people hated the Doctor, but she hadn't seen anyone actually do anything.... Or anyone seem to hate the Doctor so much.

She really didn't know what was going on between Moreau and the Dude but it seemed to be more than a simple stranded on the island thing. She shifted her weight and finally moved infront of the Dude.

She stared up at the larger man. "Enough...." She said in a soft, shaking voice. Her eyes were still wide. "Please..." She didn't know if she cared whether or not the doctor would be hurt more specifically... but outside of video games she really hated violence. It made her stomach churn.

She put a hand on the man's shoulder, just resting it there adding another dimention to her plea. She just... didn't want this to happen. There was too much drama tonight already and she couldn't really take this level.

She wished she would have just stayed at her duplex... Almost feeling like crying right now...

Moreau:
Moreau looked up at The Dude. He was stunned for a moment then he wipped blood off of his chin. "You sicken me, is this your answer to everything?"

He gave a mean look. "If you'd been caught in that storm you might have been dead if not for me."

"If you try to hurt me again, I can promise you'll regret it." Moreau said with a sickening grin.

Moreau looked over at Aubrey, a bit hurt that she had not activated the sleep. Maybe her loyalties did lie with the Dude, that would have to come up later. Still he was not about to be shown up on his Island.

He stood up and stood defiently in front of the Dude. His eyes almost taunting him to prove to Aubrey what kind of freak he was. Moreau now saw the Dude as the type of people as the bullies that had picked on him in high school. But he he didn't realize in a way he was more like them now than the Dude.

The Dude would have gladly continued, but Aubrey was now between him and the worthless human maggot:

"I am a beast, doctor. Did you forget? You are turning me into one. the sea lion made me do it." - he growled

"Any you did not save me there, sicko. Don't you dare making yourself into our benefector. If there is anything good happens to us at this island it's because of Aubrey, NOT you. And how more can you hurt me more then what you have already done? You changed Greer. HOW DARE YOU CHANGE her? How dare you bring all these young girls to the island to mutate and control. And then show up here, among us, dressed up as Frankenstein. Stick to your monitors, maggot, or suffer the consequences."

He was breathing hard, ignoring Awen and Ambrose and even Aubrey for the most part, seing only the sneering face of their tormentor.

Aubrey:
Aubrey was quick to open her mouth and defend Moreau, but then Dude threw in the comment that anything good on the island happens because of her. This odd compliment (?) hit her by surprise, and stole the words she was about to speak. She didn't really know what to say. It was must easier to justify herself when there wasn't a crowd with so many emotions running so high.

"Please calm down..." she squeaked to the Dude. "It was my idea to bring him here, okay? This was my party.. I thought if you guys could just see that he's human and not some monster..." the excuse sounded pretty weak now that reality had crashed around them, but she had hoped....

At least more fists weren't flying, Ambrose thought to himself. The harsh words were well deserved to Moreau, but Ambrose worried for the sake of his friend - the Doctor from what little Ambrose had seen of him was a man that could hold a grudge - already gloating his power over the Dude.

"Look.... Moreau. We're already your captives here. You win. We can't escape. But don't expect us to be happy about it. Aubrey, admittedly, is trying her damndest to make us at least comfortable while we're here. But threatening us...?" Ambrose shook his head, looking vaguely ill. "Admittedly...." Ambrose looked sheepishly to the Dude. "As good as it might have felt... throwing punches is pointless. It probably only makes him happy somewhere to see us acting like the animals he's changing us into." Ambrose gave a bit of a shudder, remembering the feral impulses that had come over him that night.

Awen sighed softly. Her efforts didn't seem to work and everything going on seemed to be above her head. She moved aside out of infront of the Dude and slowly sank away. She hated this....this tension and she knew that everyone going against the Dude wouldn't make him smile too much.

She just turned and as silently as she could ducked out of the tent. She shouldn't have come back.... She knew she shouldn't have come back. Maybe sleep just would be a good thing, no more games and chances to get her mood dropped like a brick again.

She just wanted to go home to her own bed. She wanted to curl up and be held by someone. The more she saw of this island the more she hated it. It scared her and hurt her. But... in the end it was her own fault. Moreau hadn't lied to her really... It was all her fault.

"Goodnight..." She said to nobody as she left the tent because nobody would be having a good night anymore.

Awen caught some words as she left the party

Moreau:
"I knew this was a bad idea comming out here."

Awen nodded to nothing on her way back to her duplex. She agreed completely for herself, the party and the island. It was just one big bad idea.  

[Awen Zyn]

"My" Shorty

Awen slowly walked along the duplexes. Counting the numbers down as she passed. It had been a little while, Awen hadn't seen Jamal... or in that case anyone... since the party and she was feeling rather low with herself. She shouldn't have stayed to argue with Lauren. Jamal had obviously hinted Awen should come with him....

She sighed as she got to duplex 7. She turned to the door. But not only that she had had a lot of time to think about her relationship with Jamal. How it conflicted outside feelings. She had resolved to herself, for now at least, nothing firm was going to happen. Just... for now. But that wouldn't stop flirting or anything of the sort... that was just fun....

She knocked on the door of the duplex, hoping that he was home this time...

From inside the duplex, loud rap music of some sort was blaring as Jamal paused in mid-push up, thinking he heard a series of knocks at his door, and grumbled. When was he ever going to get his workouts back on schedule?

He got up, wiped sweat from his brow with a small towel he had draped over a chair, and flung that over his shoulder as he went for the door, clicking the pause button on his tiny radio so silence fell on the duplex. He was shirtless and without his pendants for the moment, both laying in a heap on the table, exposing his intricate tribal tattoos to the open air.

With little ceremony, he opened the door and was mildly surprised to see Awen standing there.

Awen smiled softly up at the big man. She had to have been interupting something.... Great he was home but it was totally a bad time. She gave him a small apologetic smile. "um... Hi" She said sheepishly. Her eyes darted across his tattoo... she loved the design of it and loved looking at it and it gave a good cover to look at... but she quickly brought her eyes back up to his. "Am I...interupting anything? Sorry to bug you...."

Jamal's brow quirked somewhat as Awen's gaze passed over his chest and he held back the urge to flex to see what her reaction would be. Though, as the thought passed his mind, she was looking at his face again so even if he had, she wouldn't have seen. Oh well.

"Hey shorty," he said cheerfully enough, though still his brow was raised. He wondered what had brought her out his way...certainly not for what he was hoping, of course...but the guy could fantasize, neh? This abstinence garbage sucked massively. "Jus' workin' out, that be all. Ain't interruptin' nothin' too impo'tant."

The man move away from the door and gave her room to come in, if she wanted.

Awen nodded a little bit. Working out.... well that does make sense after all. He was well enough toned and shirtless and.. guys did work out shirtless when they could get away with it right? She didn';t really know about all guys but Jamal obviously did. Let's see out of the...four or so times she's seen this man twice he had his shirt off. She almost giggled but decided not to and just let a smirk pass her lips as she passed Jamal into the room.

She stepped in a little bit looking around his duplex it was....quite interesting.... but nothing really she hadn't expected. She paused a little bit her back still to him. She had a reason for being here. Awen turned on her heel to face him studying a moment before.... "Jamal... I'm.... sorry for the other day. You know at the party... I didn't mean to let you go alone."

Jamal shut the door to the duplex and wandered over to his table where his shirt and whatnot were lying, picking the tank up for a moment before deciding it was dirty and he might as well just wear it since it could be washed later. As she turned, he tugged the tank on, leaving the jewelry on the table.

He listened to her talk with respectful silence before leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. "Ain't nothin' you gotta be sorry fo'. Yous...just had otha' friends ta talk to. I ain't mad 'bout it....brotha just ain't got any otha peeps 'round herr to talk to, ya know." Well, that and he was feeling like his 'game' was grow a little rusty at the slow as hell pace things seemed to be moving. He was too used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted.

She shifted her weight a little bit. Awen had been afraid he thought that. "Actually... I didn't stay to socialize with them...." She said carefully. "I was acutally.... well ... yelling at Lauren for how she was treating you." She continued quickly. "It wasn't fair for her to just jump on you like that. She doesn't even know you and really shouldn't have. But she's been through a lot in her life and was just trying to protect me, her friend. She didn't really mean anything against you specifically, I mean if any guy would have been.... well she would have done the same. I'm not saying it was right because it really wasn't but justthought to let you knwo she's not really a bad person, just tough...like you. I hoped you two would get along because, well, I look up to both of your strengths. But like I said before, it wasn't right what she did and I wasn't staying back to chat it up... I was getting mad at her.... but I.... feel really bad for leaving you all alone." Finally she finished and was able to take a breath.

He nodded occasionally as she rambled, still leaning against the wall his his arms crossed over his chest. He remembered the rude blonde girl when her name was spoken and got a distinctly sour expression on his face.

"I ain't so big on fightin' females, otherwise she'd been laid out on da floor faster than anythin'," he said finally, and he looked like he meant it too. "People gotta know betta' than shoot s**t they ain't ready to back up. 'Bout da only reason I leave 'er alone because you like 'er."

He shrugged then and adjusted his head wrap. "But anyway...look, it a'ight yous didn't come. Jus' went to da beach 'n' bitched at da ocean..."

She nodded a little bit. Completely unerstanding he meant he would hit her. "I know Jamal, and really I appreciate you holding back and all." She smiled up at him. Maybe, even a little, he did actually like her- outside of just body. After all he took enough concideration to leave Lauren alone after all, and she did harass him quite a bit.

"Well, at least the ocean can't talk back to ya." She nodded a little bit, though shuddered at the thought. Sure it couldn't talk back but it definately could have tidal waves that sweep the island, under currents that would pull you under to take you far offshore and drown you, it had sink holes and drop offs and a whole slew of creatures just waiting for you as their mid-day meal. Awen flexed her fist a little bit. She would not start all this here....

She relaxed a little bit and shifted her weight. Having said what she came to say she really didn't know... well... what else to say. She looked around the room. "Nice layout." She commented, though that felt so generic... 'um, really. I mean mine's pretty dull I just left it how it was for the most part. Feels like a hotel room really.... But I didn't think to bring anything and well, I can't really rearrange the funiture or anything..." Again her small stature came into play for that little obstacle

"I ain't never really seen an ocean b'fo...it was a'ight, I guess. Real quiet...ain't somethin' I be used to either." Again he shrugged, but he looked like he was loosening up somewhat. He saw how she seemed to do the opposite, however, at the mention of the water. "You ain't a fan of it though, I be guessin'."

At the mention of his room, he grinned. "Thanks. Em didn't 'preciate me movin' s**t 'round at first...but she be a'right wit' it now. If yous lookin' fo' help, I kin maybe help. Place be bad enough how it looks now...ain't no problem in makin' it a little betta'"

Awen turned back to Jamal and smiled brightly. "Once i figure out exactly how I want my room to go I'll remember to give you a call." She shifted ehr weight. "And yeah not a big fan of the ocean." She just decided to leave it at that. She didn't want Jamal to think she was even weirder than he already did.

"The place isn't... so bad though." If you ignore the egotistical, rude doctor and the fact that people are mutating around the island, and how you can't leave and.... yeah it's not so bad. "Good food, nice people, for the most part, anyone else would call it an ideal vacation spot hm?"

"Ocean ain't dat bad, but dat be yo' problem," he said with a shrug. "But anyway, yeah. I'll move yo' s**t fo' ya, just let me know. Can't stand dis place how it be lookin' at first."

At her mention of it being a vacation spot, he wrinkled his nose. "Ain't really ma idea of a vacation, but...yeah. It ain't dat bad if yous take in all of da stuff, I guess. Bugs be both'rin me most o' da time."

Hmm the bugs were a problem actually. "Maybe if you buzz the main office they'd get you some bug spray or something?" She couldn't help a little chuckle. "Honestly it's not my idea of a vacation either but... ya gotta do whatcha gotta do hm?"

She thought some more. "After all, the entertainment room has been getting restocked with new movies and things you know? The Doc does do a lot to keep us entertained. He tried forthe party thing, you know?"

"Sounds like da Doc jus' tryin' to suck up...but I ain't seen him since I got herr. He eva' leave dat damn castle o' his? Gotta ax' him some questions 'bout when I'm ready ta go home...ain't gonna be fo' awhile yet. Ain't safe..."

Yup...he still believed he could leave when he wanted. The poor b*****d needed a reality check.

Awen looked a little surprised and disappointed hearing what he said about going home. She turned and moved to look out the window of his duplex. What could she say? He didn't believe her before, even after the party there is no chance... But, once again she found herself having to try. "Jamal..." She sighed softly. "After awhile it won't be safe to leave the island..."

Jamal snorted and waved a hand in the air as though dismissing her tone and moved to rummage in one of his dresser drawers, producing some cheap candy he'd gotten from the cafeteria...M&M's from the looks of it. He offered some to her.

"O'course it'll be safe. They ain't gonna be lookin' fo' me no more back in Detriot...figger I be dead o' sumthin."

She took the M&Ms and smiled a brief thank you. "Detroit, Toronto, Barrie, London, Paris, Tokyo.... It won't matter where you go if you get off the island Jamal I assure you it won't be safe at all for you in awhile." Awen popped a few of the M&Ms into her mouth. "Not after what the Doc is going to do."

He lifted a brow as he practically inhaled a handful of the candies. "Doc doin' this ta help, ain't he? Why he gonna make things worse?"

She glanced up at him and shook her head. "I already told you once before Jamal." She said kind of flatly. "You're not believing me but that doesn't change the facts. Didn't... some of those people at the party have...too realistic costumes? The scales, the fur the feathers...don't you think some of them seemed just too real?"

He blinked slowly, peering at Awen almost suspiciously now. "People come up wit' good costumes," he said, though there was a slight hesitation to his voice. "I once seen dis dude...s**t...he got all dressed up like a ********' cow o' some s**t like dat. Horns 'n ev'rythin'..."

She turned and looked right into her eyes. "But why would every one of them be dressed as an animal *and* something else?" She paused a second. "Why would the Dude go as a ghost, but have flippers? Why would...whoever it was in the wheelchair go as a classic alien with scales and feathers? Why would Andy go as a musketeer wolf? And Hargun? Wasn't her bat costume just a little too...realistic? Think about it Jamal, why would everyone have an animal costume plus another one ontop of that? One or two people maybe, but all of the islanders?"

"...maybe it be a theme?...and we just ain't knowin' 'bout it?"

He wasn't trying to be stubborn, really...he just didn't believe that people were turning into animals. It was impossible, unless you were in some badly made horror movie about werewolves.

She shook her head. "Emelyn was the one who told me the information on the party. If there was a theme she would have told me. Listen I didn't want to accept it, I don't want it to be true." She said getting a little heated. "But I am *not* trippin' and I'm completely serious." She sighed a little bit and cooled her tone. "But I guess it doesn't matter if you believe me or not. You'll know eventually..."

Jamal shifted uneasily as she got a flame of irritation to her tone and he sullenly popped a few more candies in his mouth, an icey silence falling on th room. He was a born skeptic...it wasn't his fault. But it was going to take him watching someone change or seeing HIMSELF change before he was goinog to believe any of this.

She smiled a little up at him. "Sorry." She said softly.

"It a'ight," he mumbled, though it sounded a little stiff, and rolled the back up to save the last of the chocolates before he chucked it onto the table and slumped over to his bed to sit down.

"Look, I ain't tryin' to be a d**k, but dis all seems ta be impossible. I ain't tryin' to make yous feel bad o' piss yous off or nothin'. I gotta see it ta believe it. Dat's jus' how I roll."

She nodded a little bit. "I know... I didn't quite... believe it either. I really understand. It's a lot to take in or not being the case. I'm just... really scared about it all and i can't talk to the others about it because ...of how they are. I mean you're the only other person I know that's not changed at all and.." She suddenly lunged forward and hugged the big man. "I guess I'm just...really...scared of thiswhole place."

Jamal was, needless to say, surprised by her sudden lunge and even more such now that her arms were wrapped around his chest. Not like he minded...s**t, any contact with a female was good on his books...but the mood wasn't right for him to try and be a little sneaky. Instead, he was going to make a wise-a** remark, but the expression on her face and the tone of her voice actually made him decide against it. So instead, he wrapped her up in his arms and lended a sympathetic ear.

"Aw shorty, it'll be a'ight...you ain't needin' to worry," he said with a bright smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Worryin' ain't gonna make nothin' better."

She looked up to him and seeing that bright smile. She had honestly expected him to crack wise, or push her away or something. She felt a lot better when she felt his arms tighten around her. He did care more than his persona ever let her guess. He also did have a point... worrying really.. wouldn't solve anything. Whatever would happen will happen, she couldn't stop it anyway. But she didn't want to let go just yet. She gave him a soft squeeze before smiling softly.

"Yeah... I guess you're right Jamal." She bit her bottom lip a bit. "Thanks for...being here for me."

"s**t, we both in this togetha', pretty much, if s**t be goin' down," he said with a slight chuckle, still grinning. "And I ain't got no otha real friends 'round herr otha' than yous. Gotta look out fo' my shorty...Even though' yous makin' me look bad all the time wit' yo knowin' so much 'bout the island."

The last was said with a bit of mock-disapproval, but he couldn't help but let the corner of his mouth curl to show his jest. She did fit pretty nicely in his arms, but...just about any woman would do that. He was vaguely surprised she didn't let go though.

She leaned her head softly against his chest, being a bit too short to actually reach his shoulder. 'My shorty' he had said. Something about that set a flutter inside of her. "Well... I gotta keep you on your toes right?" She grinned. "Would get boring otherwise really." She couldn't help but giggle a little bit.

"Gotta let a brotha win once in awhile, otha'wise ya break his pride," he said with the same mock-disapproval while at the same time sloooooowly tightening his grip on her back. Hm...this was almost like a game....what would be get away with? "Women do a good 'nuff job makin' me look bad as is, ya know. Don't gotta double-team me wit' bein' smart 'n being clever."

She looked back up at him with a slight grin. "But then how would you ever get better if I just let you win hm?" Her heart sort of jumped a bit when he tightened his grip. "Besides I don't think you're looking bad at all..." What was she doing...? She couldn't help the smirk on her lips or her playful tone.

He feigned innocence there, glancing up towards the ceiling for a moment before looking back down at her as she rested snugly against his chest. "That be a'ight...you ain't always gotta let me win...brotha'll win on his own, if yous wanna play it that way," he said with a bit of a challenge to his voice.

Speaking of winning...Hmmm...what dis? Gettin' a lil' playful now? he thought, inwardly pleased. However, he remained cool and gave her a suave brow-lift. "Hmm, brotha always tryin' to look his best, ya know," said the black man in a smooth, easy manner. "Jus' in case he meets up wit' a pretty lil' thang and they don't run away..."

She laughed a bit at his challenge. "Sounds like a good game then..." She loved rallying herself to any kind of challenge like that. One on one competition...even if this isn't the type she's used to.

She giggled at his comment before looking seriously up at him. "Well I don't see why any girl would run away from you..." She raised an eyebrow of her own. "Besides aren't you the one whose supposed to be a 'playa'. What kind of 'playa' has the ladies running from him all the time."

"Some women can't handle da heat," he said loftily, though it wasn't meant to be a serious answer by far. The whole situation had him far too amused for him to give any truely serious answers. "Brotha's a playa, but can't play game on girls that don't wanna play, if ya know what I mean. Game's a two sided thing, believe it o' not."

Jamal lightly loosened his grip for a moment before dropping his arms just a tad slower about the small of her back, but they didn't wander any lower. He was still testing the boundries....he liked -this- challenge.

A small tingle ran up her spine as his hands dropped. They stopped before anything at all but she still felt a slight kick start in her heartjust thinking that they might have... "Well that would make sense, the game going both ways after all. Otherwise it wouldn't be playing just really be illegal." She was sort of serious but all together joking. She was...bad at jokes... And flirting for that matter.... "I dunno though... " She said trying to get that subject back onto something less..icky. "I prefer the heat to the cold personally."

"Hmm..." he said in a ploy to sound thoughtful, hardly looking put off the fact the subject had been changed or the fact that her jokes might potentially be bad (he didn't really mind them...lord knows he's told enough bad ones in his life). "Prolly good you ain't mindin' the heat then...I ain't doin' so good wit' girls who like the cold." He looked down at her to gauge her reaction to all of this.

Still no resistance on her part....this was getting interesting, alright. He knew there had to be a point when she would say enough was enough. But what would do it...she seemed oddly complacent to the fact that his hands were down further than they previously were and he'd felt that little twinge run up her spine. She had to have liked the shift.

Cautiously he let one hand rub the small of her back very softly while looking nonchalant.

She just bit her lip softly not knowing what to say next at that comment. She..honestly couldn't think of something to say. She opened her mouth a second to try and get words to come but...nothing just a 'heh'. She was wondering what was going on with her, or really what was going to happen next. This was such a sudden shift forward.

But she couldn't help it. She honestly just loved being in his arms and it felt really comforting to feel him rubbing her back. Buta responce? Like heck she would know what to do or say by this point. she just looked up at him with a little smile.

"What's wrong, shorty? You awful quiet all of a sudden," he teased, looking down at her with an impish glint to his eyes, still gently rubbing her back like it was nothing at all. "Run outta things ta say?"

Hmmm....no rejection...though she seemed a little bit like she was a deer in headlights. Like he said, game was a two person thing. Maybe if he let it go for a few, she might be willing to try a bit of experimenting herself.

Her mouth worked a little bit with no words. Finally something came out. "I... Well yeah I.. think I did. I..don't really know what to..." Say? Do? She really wasn't sure how to end that sentence so she just left it opened ended. Really she didn't know either. What she did know was he had finally turned the tables around on her, and unlike him, she had no witty come back or non-chalant attitude to fall back on.

Her arms moved slowly to wrap around behind his neck. It was just more comfortable that way anyway. Her fingers traced along the back of his neck softly.

He was well aware of the fact that he indeed switched things up a bit and he was 'winning' as it were and it was clearly shown so in the continued impish grin that shone in his eyes and now flittered over his mouth. As her hands played at the nape of his neck, it was his turn to involuntarily shiver.

Awen grinned a little bit finally having some ammunition to have against him. relieve a bit of her awkwardness within the situation. "Cold?" Her eyebrow raised coolly this time.

"Maybe," he remarked casually, as he dropped his chin a bit and with it also went his hands but only a smidge lower. Always testing his boundries, it seemed. He wasn't that bad of a guy, really. He'd stop as soon as she protested...he was definately -not- a rapist by any means. "Cold ain't no good though...we can't be havin' none of that. 'Specially not in da jungle..." He leaned in a bit, doing so nonchalantly again, still looking down at her with that silly look to his eyes.

A tad lower, how long was she going to let this game last...? She smiled up at him. "Of course not... a jungle is..no place to be cold." What was she.... really. She was... flustered a bit but was happy about it. Was it the contact, that look in his eyes or just... the whole Jamal-ness of him that made her practically putty? She didn't really know. And wondered vaguely if she cared.

"Dat's right," he said in agreement, though now his voice held a softer quality to it, almost as though he didn't want to scare her away. Her vivid violet-esque eyes seemed uncertain, as though she was having second thoughts. Still....

Words were growing strained between them both, he could tell...the tension in the room was definately very clear...he knew what he wanted but wasn't sure if that'd fly well with her. Maybe a kiss now? She was so light and lithe in his arms; it reminded him vaguely of home in a way, as strange as it sounded.

Looking up to the big man the confusion slowly seeped away. Something within him stirred her. Despite his superficial playa persona Awen felt something genuine, something...more real. She ignored the part of her that was saying 'that's just what he wants you to think', because something in his eyes really..hit home. Many things people could easily fake... but the eyes were hard to put a lie to.

Awen leaned in closer to the man tightening her hold in a soft squeeze momentarily behind his neck. Though from her height she couldn't do too much more, intent was clear enough...

Intent was all he needed.

Jamal tilted his chin down and leaned in, closing the distancing between himself and Awen until his lips planted on hers, doing so in a manner so soft it was almost like a brush of a feather at first.

He continued to hold her in his strong embrace, his hands again motionless as they pressed lightly into her back, bringing her body closer to him.

She held the kiss a few moments. Her heart raced as he pulled her even closer to him. She traced her fingers on the back of his neck before just holdingonto him again. she knew what would happen...but she could hardly believe... It felt so right so real. It was comforting in his arms and feeling his lips to hers she could forget everything and for an instant at least and just get lost in this feeling. This normal feeling, this human feeling...

Jamal kissed her again, this time a little more assertive in doing so, his hands slipping down on either side of her hips; he wasn't really aware they had done so. It was possible he was losing himself in the moment, as it were.

The brush of her fingers on his neck sent a tingle down his back, which he enjoyed far more than he probably should...but he couldn't help it. It had been awhile (at least in his opinion) since he'd had a pretty girl in his arms.

Awen blinked a little bit at the more aggressive kiss. The logical step obviously, but as he slid his hands down she couldn't help a blush. Her movements however weren't as stiff as she felt at that point. One hand moved slowly the tips of her fingers dragging gently along his skin tracing up his neck and jawline to rest softly upon his cheek.

He broke lip contact with her as her fingers played against the smooth skin of his jaw and cheek, his eyes opening again to look at hers in, surprisingly, a very non-predator manner. He smiled faintly and lifted one hand from her hips to brush a stray strand of hair from her eyes. That same hand brushed her cheek also, but traced down her neck and collarbone before again wrapping firmly about her waist. As things progressed, he started to wonder if Awen was going to reject ANY advance from him at this point.

She looked into his dark eyes and saw the softer, real side to them. This was no look he had really given before, and wondered if he even gave it often at all. She half closed her eyes again feeling his hand brush against her cheek softly and trace down. She took a deep soothing breath and opened her eyes again.

"Jamal..." She said really softly, still half lost in this haze. She nuzzled against his cheek softly. trying to keep this feeling but..knowing... knowing... She pulled her face away slowly from his only to stare back into his eyes at more of a distance. "I... I should probably...um... get... uh... going..." Those words cut her quite a bit even if they came from her own lips. She wanted to stay but... she didn't want things to get too out of hand. "I was... actually just...on my way to get something to eat too when I stopped by...and...um...yeah..." There was the old awkward Awen back...

He had apparently spoke too soon.

"Ya don't gotta go if ya don't wanna," he said, trying to keep disappointment from his tone by masking it with an understanding inflection. "But if ya wanna...that be a'ight too." As he spoke, he kept eye contact with her but then averted his gaze and loosened his hold on her so she could move away if that's what her choice was. If she had somewhere to be or if she was growing uncomfortabe...well, so be it.

Her brow furrowed as she bit her lip softly. "Jamal... I." She what? She knew there were words but they wouldn't come to her. She gave him another long squeeze before letting go but not backing away, letting his arms stay loose around her. "I've grown to really like you in this short time...but... I... don't want anything... too much too soon..." She looked away at this. "I just don't...really rush into these sorts of things and..." She quickly turned back to him with wide eyes. "It's nothing against you at all, youare really amazing, handsome, strong and...really comforting to me. I just don't want things to go too far... right away...that's all."

He nodded faintly, feeling the rush of all of the previous minutes drain slowly from his system with each breath. Jamal didn't really understand Awen's hesitant nature...but then, they were from two completely differently places. "Rushing" into things was completely normal where he was from. Besides...this meant more possibly experimentation with other island inhabitants, perhaps, if she didn't want anything serious.

"I kin respect dat," he finally said after a pause, looking back down at her with a more clearer, less 'lost in the moment' expression to his features. "I ain't about makin' no one uncomfo'table."

She smiled softly up to him. "Thanks..." She said in a soft tone. "I'm sorry if... I disappointed you. Maybe...um... do you want to go get something to eat with me?"

Awen felt a little hurt herself. He had shifted back into a cooler disposition. That thoughtful flicker in his eyes panged into Awen. She knew that she just could have messed up something... but what else could she have done? She really wasn't ready... as much as she's grown to care for the big guy she still hardly knew him and... She just took that step back out of his arms, the excitement once more draining away.But she kept a smile on her face, thinking back to the moments before kept her from sinking too far into self doubt.

Yeah, he was disappointed, but there were worse things to be and he knew it. So, for now, he would just play it cool until her mind changed...but as far as he was concerned, nothing was serious between them. She seemed so unsure of herself in those few moments and Jamal preferred a woman who was more confident and knew what they wanted. He couldn't, however, deny a certain fondness for her.

"Sure, brotha could go fo' some food," he answered in an easy manner, nonchalantly moving his hands up to adjust his hairwrap.

She smiled brightly. "Great!" She started for the door. "I went by earlier and the smells were pretty good I think they had some kind of special cooking today but I'm not sure..." She opened the door a bit and waited for him.

Looking at him she was smiling but inside half a frown formed. She knew eventually, if feelings kept progressing between the two... what she would want from Jamal. But it didn't seem to her Jamal wanted anything serious at all. There were moments when she saw something deeper, but this non-chalant exterior reminded her all too much of his seemingly womanizing nature. She maybe didn't seem confident with him, only because she didn't know how to handle him. She knew what he wanted.... but she knew she wanted something more concrete. She couldn't understand his views, she would never understand the play persona, but she supposed they were just from two different worlds. And she was afraid... that might just make all the difference...

"A'ight...sounds good...been eatin' junk all day. Need somethin' real in ma belly."

He moved away from the bed and stopped at the table to get his jewelry, which he doned quickly, then joined her at the door. Jamal looked, for all purposes, like he'd forgotten about their little exchange there in his duplex...but something continued to nag at him as he shut the door, locked it, and escorted Awen off to the cafeteria.

Another trip to the beach might be in order later.

((Yes thsi is the end of this RP, lunch is assumed))  

[Awen Zyn]

Endless Cycles and Hypocrits

Colour Code

Awen=Blue
Ian=black
Hargun=orange
Joliette=brown
Dude=Cyan

Ian entered the cafeteria after having had gone home, showered and slept in his bed from living in the jungle for a week. He headed straight for the counter not noticing if there were other people present. Grabbing an apple he took a large bit and piled four more on a plate. He sat down at a table still unaware of everything around him.

Awen glanced up from her own table in the cafe while catching something out of the corner of her eye. She had been quietly reading in the cafe, not really wanting to go to the entertainment room for fear someone was going to be watching or playing something and distract her from her book. She knew Faith of the Fallen front to back, but she'd taken to reading it for the tenth time. She also had to carry it around for Emerwyn because she still didn't know what duplex to deliver the book to.

She smiled when she saw Ian. She shut the book onto her bookmark and moved over to him smiling. She sat down across the table from him. "Missed you at the party." She said light heartedly.

Ian swallowed that first bite of apple he had originally taken setting the uneaten portion atop the rest if his pile. "Hello.....Awen." It had taken him a moment to remember her name and Ian hoped that she didn't notice the hesitation. He smiled back, "I didn't go, I was...busy." He shrugged good naturedly. "I was fine by myself." He didn't mntion exactly why he wanted to be alone or where he had been during the party.

Awen nodded a little bit and set the book down so she didn't have to hold it. The island was so boring there wasn't much at all to do, what could he possibly be busy with? She really didn't want to press the matter so she just let it drop. There had been quite a bit of activity at the party and sort of glad Ian missed at least the last bit of it, save him some grief and worry anyway.

Awen smiled softly. "Well, I still missed you. Haven't seen ya in awhile, which really is a shame." Shurrging a little bit she added. "For such a relatively small island youy think that people would see everyone more often huh?"

Ian nodded in agreement. "I heard about that from Amaya. But really, if one doesn't want to be seen for awhile, the jungle is a nice place to hide." He didn't say that that was what he had been doing. It wasn't that he had been hiding, but that the jungle seemed natural for him to stay in when he was avoiding Emerwyn. "It is a shame though. There are people I would like to see more." Like The Dude, he thought. I haven't seen him in quite awhile. "What book are you reading?" Ian asked noticing for the first time the book that Awen had.

She nodded a little bit. The jungle was pretty nice place to get away and not be noticed. Awen wondered if that was true why she kept running into people there...? But shrugged it off as just her own luck.

She looked down to her book when Ian mentioned it. "Oh, um.." She slid it across the table to him. "Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind. I've been meaning to get it to Emerwyn... but I don't know her duplex number."

At the mention of Emerwyn Ian flinched slightly. He knew what duplex she was in though. "Emerwyn lives in duplex 18." He remembered the time she had invited him there and him giving in to the urge to hug her. Ian picked up the book curiously. He had heard of Terry Goodkind, but never had the time to read anymore. "Good book?" he asked handing it back, grabbing his partially eaten apple and taking a bite.

Awen blinked a little wondering why Ian had flinched. But quickly took in the other information Duplex 18, great! Now...she just has to finish reading the book again before handing it over...

"Great book actually!" She smiled brightly. "Goodkind is by far a genious.... I could only fit one of his books with me so i brought that one. Maybe... I could get the Doctor to get the rest of the series for me, what do you think?"

Ian paused to think before replying carefully. "Perhaps the doctor would get the books. He's gotten other stuff for us here before." He took another bite of apple and swallowed before speaking again. "It keeps us entertained and happy, I don't see a bad side to it." Ian kept his own conflicting opinions about the doctor carefully concealed during that short speech. Until Ian was confident in his own feeling he didn't want to involuntarily bias someone agains someone that could very possibly be a good, albeit somewhat insane and blinded person due to a hidden tone in his voice.

Awen nodded a little bit. The Doctor does provide a lot for them. thought judging by the arguments at the party she wasn't sure how much was actually him. She shifted uncomfortably on her chair. She had leaned a lot towards the normal islander point of view rather than Lauren's. But she kept her torn feelings to herself.

"Not a bad thing to try anyway..." She half smiled as she drew her book back from Ian.

"Nothing to lose anyway. If he refuses you would be in the same position as if you never asked at all." A thought nagged at Ian's mind. "Do you mind if I ask you a question? I cannot seem to find an answer to it." He needed to know. Even a week of quiet reflection had left him even more unsure than right after it happened.

She blinked a little bit and nodded. "Fire away Ian." She wondered what was bothering him...

Ian took a deep breath and began. "Two weeks ago I saw Emerwyn....she.....had begun to transform. We talked a bit...she is becoming a cervid...like me." He paused unsure of how to continue. "She invited me to her duplex and I went....nothing happened," he added quickly just in case Awen might think something did. "We had tea, and we talked some more, about the past, the time before the island." Ian was doing a really good job of avoiding the topic he really wanted to talk about. "And.....she....seemed to get upset." There, that was closer to what he wanted to say. "I consider myself a friend, so I gave her a hug....just a friendly hug, nothing more. Friends can give hugs...." Great, now Ian was starting a monologue, just like villians in movies did, and people in Shakespearean plays...he had always hated the monologues as he felt they dragged from the topic at hand. "Um...well, she uh..." Just spit it out! he mentally scolded. "She cried on my shoulder....and I didn't know what to do, and I am an idiot so I think I made her feel worse because I left right after. I didn't know what to do, I never deal with females...what do I do?...What should I do?" He fell silent after that, he didn't mention the feelings he had felt while letting Emerwyn cry on his shoulder.

Awen sat and listened to Ian's almost-rant. She nodded or 'mhmed' where appropriate but for the most part just sat back listening. She worked things over in her head as he was going on, wondering what he was getting at with his little story, not that she minded but was curious to see how she could help.

Finally when he ended and she heard his question and saw that sad confused look on his face Awen...froze. Fora few seconds she didn't know what she could say. But soon enoguh got her mouth and vocal cords working again.

"Well..." She started slowly. "I'm no....expert on Emerwyn or anything..." She was not sure where that part was going. "But the island is hard on everyone. It's okay you left after that. But just... She'd understand. And you were there for a bit. She knows you're her friend and you didn't upset her anymore, crying is a good way to purge your system and she needed it I suppose. Just...don't worry about it. Don't leave her alone bethere for her and you should be fine."

She hoped that helped..a bit.

Ian scowled, but he hadn't been there for her, he didn't try to see her again, he went and hid in the forest for a week. He finished his first apple with a growl of disgust, eyes widening at the strange sound his growl was. His ears began to twitch a little and a weird scent filled his nostrils - the scent of his still human anger, causing his cervid half to be afraid. He wasn't angry at Awen, no, he was angry at himself, he felt that he had failed Emerwyn. "Thank you Awen," his voice was tense, unable to mask the fear the stag part of him felt. He felt trapped, unable to do anything. He rested a hooved hand on his head and sighed, resting his elbow in the table. "I just don't know what is happening to me anymore. Back home I would never have done half the things I find myself doing here."

She was taken aback at first by his glower and his tone. She saw the regret and fire in his eyes. She sat stiffly on her chair for a moment, wondering what she had said... She heard the growl but also saw the eventual fear in his eyes. She had no idea what what going on she hoped she hadn;t hurt him too much...

"A lot of people are doing things they normally wouldn't...." Including me, she added silently thinking of Jamal. "But we're adapting, right? Not just to whatever the doctor is doing but we're responding to the people around. You're doing what you think is best, and partly what your instincts tell you." She was half guessing here and all judging on her experiences. "But even if you make mistakes... they can he corrected pretty easily most of the time. Don't beat yourself up and get depressed...that's the main thing."

Ian snorted, it was rather too late to tell him not to get depressed, but the fear left his eyes as he realized that he had nothing to be really angry at. His ears were still twitching but that could not be helped. Dedicating the next few minutes to eating another one of his apples Ian regained control of te rest of his emotions. "I should pay Emerwyn a visit, see how she is and everything, I did leave rather abruptly." He nodded, confident in his decision. "Yeah, maybe tomorrow."

Awen was a little hurt by that snort of his. She had said something stupid again obviously... She fidgeted with her book, playing with the pages with her head down thinking while he was eating his apple. She knew Ian was just upset and she didn't think he really meant to hurt her or make her feel stupid by snorting or anything. She wasn't sure if he could even help it... but something just still cut into her a bit.

She looked up when he started to speak again and smiled. "Yeah, see just talk to her. Everything will be alright. I'm sure she'd understand..."

Ian had noticed her playing with the pages of the book and felt really bad...for whatever he had done to make her upset. Ian, not being used to the feeling of others which had led to this topic in the first place, was now feeling responsible for doing something to upset two people. "Er...." he began haltingly, what the heck was he supposed to do know. Sighing Ian mentally deemed himself the worlds most ignorant, insensitive lout. I'm so stupid....what right do I have interacting with people if all I do is make them upset in my ignorance. "Sorry," he ended figuring that was the best way to solve things since he did know that he was sorry for whatever he had done to make Awen upset.

Awen blinked a little bit at his apology. She, in turn, felt bad for making Ian feel bad about her. Oh what an endless cycle she could get into sometimes. "No, no,no." She said smiling. "Nothing to apologise for really. ore...misinterpretations on my part. I just thouhgt you may have been angry with me, that's all."

She brushed some of her hair behind her ear, of course it never stayed there more than five seconds but still. "Misinterpretation...I'm sure. So don't worry." She smiled very sincerely.

"I was angry, but not at you. At myself." Ian figured that Awen had a right to know. "I'm alright now I think." His ears had stopped twitching and all of the anger scent was gone. He looked at the remaining three apples and wondered if he should take them back to his duplex to eat later. Then, looking up at Awen, he smiled. "Yeah, I get misunderstood a lot." He laughed, this was a common routine, trying to explain himself. "I think I need to learn to explain things better." He picked up one of the apples and tossed it between his hands. Yeah, he would take them back to his duplex. He set it back on the plate and leaned back a little, relaxing.

Awen laughed a little light hearted laugh. "No no no... I just have to learn not to jump to comclusions." She chuckled again afterwards before looking down at her book. "Hey can you do me a favour?" Sliding the book towards Ian. "Could you, give this to Emerwyn if you're going to see her anyway? I never see her and... would feel awkward just going to her duplex..." She smiled a little sheepishly. "You don't have to but I just thought you know you'd find her and she could check out the book sooner...."

Hargun walked ahead of Joliette as soon as the cafeteria was in sight, then turned around. "Uhm, can you wait her for a sec?" she asked, and listened intently on the inside to see who was in there. Ian and Awen.. okay. she thought, checking herself. "Ah nevermind, come on." she said smiling and walked in. "Heya Awen, heya Ian!" she called to them.

Joliette quirked a brow at her strange request but followed her in none the less looking around the building Ian and Awen... two more names to remember she thought to herself.

The Dude walked in and headed for the crowd of people. Some he remembered from before, some were clearly new. he waved to everyone and grinned a wide: "Wasssup!"

Ian heard the people entering before he actually saw them. Turning in his seat he gave a lighthearted wave. "Hello," his eyes scanned the faces. The Dude hadn't changed since Ian last saw him, but Hargun was distinctly more bat-like, just as Amaya had mentioned. With Hargun was a new face. Not another one, Ian thought. Will it ever end? He smiled warmly at all three of them before turning back to Awen."Sure I can give the book to her. Since I need to speak with her anyway."

Awen stood up seeing all the new people enter. It's only polite really. Glancing down to Ian she smiled brightly. "Thanks."

Turned to the others. "Hey Hargun, Dude." She waved a little before looking to the new girl. "So who is this here?" Awen rounded the table to greet the girl , for once actually looking down.

Mentally Awen grinned to herself, whoot she's shorter than me! Then paused wondering if this is a good thing. She wouldn't want Jamal to suddenly call this girl "Shorty"... But onto introductions!

"I'm Awen Zyn." She said politely and held out her hand. "But uh Hargun already said my name and ...well..yeah. Still!"

Awen assumed since the girl was with Hargun she obviously knew something was up. Hargun, being as she was and all, had probably already told her the truth, so Awen wasn't too concerned. And really she probably wouldn't know when to shut up, and even if she did it was doubtful she wouldn't reveal the truth. Or..try to anyway.

Hargun nodded and waved at the Dude as he made an appearance. "Oye! Hi Dude!" she turned around to Joliette. "Guys, this is Joliette. Just recently arrived on the island."

She stepped aside to glance at Awen and Ian. Trying to give a rather serious look, although she doubt theyd get what she meant by Try to lay low for a bit.. It wasnt very clearly stamped on her face.

Ugh.. I cant eat any bugs in front of her.. hold it in Harg.

"All more actor friends I presume Hargun" she said and nodded to each her eyes finaly landed on the Dude "intersting that some seem to be in costume while others not" she said her voice carrying her british accent clearly. She didn't catch Hargun's look to the others

Oh yeah, another victim of Moreau's lies ... a pretty one, too: "Hi Joliette. How long since you came here and why?" - he smiled at her. Wow, Ian grew himself some horns, huh? Great ... now they had Ambrose the Wolf and Ian the Lunch. Great plannign Moreau ... great planning. He sighed and started paying more attention to the conversation.

Ian was able to guess in a moment that this Joliette didn't know about the islands secret yet. She called them actors...great, just great. Costume, she had said and Ian brought a hand reflexively to his antlers trying to resist having his ears twitch. He hoped he succeeded and put a smile on his face. "It's part of the general script," he lied knowing absolutely nothing. "Some don't have costumes until later." His smile faltered, but only for an instant. Ian hated lying, but perhaps it would make everything easier on Joliette. "I'm Ian, as Hargun mentioned. And hi Dude. You haven't been around much? Or is it me that hasn't been around?"

Awen blinked and withdrew her hand when the girl didn't take it. She looked around at the other four as they talked and had a definate frown on her face. Once Ian had finsihed she just.. couldn't take this.

She looked at Hargun, Dude and Ian. "I can't believe you three!" She said finally. "You guys profess to hate Moreau...at least you do Dude. And yet you're helping him!" Her frown almost set into a glare. "What are you going to do? String her along with Moreau's lie until she changes? What do you think it will make things easier on her? Not only will she be trapped on this island like the rest of us but she'll then find out anyone she's come to trust has lied to her the entire time!"

She took a breath. She'd been getting more angry lately because of this stupid place... Stupid island, stupid Moreau, stupid everyone.... She started to really raise her voice."I learned the truth within hours of my arrival thanks to Pyroth shouting it into my skull and you know what? I'm better for it. Better than not knowing until I changed, better than denying it like Jamal." She was near frustraded tears. "The only way she is going to cope with this is if we are open and honest with her and help her through this. But you are all just going to go hide behind Moreau's lie because you are afraid of phasing her. It doesn't matter if she hurts, as long as you're not the ones to do it right!? As long as the delusion of normality lasts for a little while, you don't care if it would hurt that much more when the truth comes crashing down...." She stopped raising her voice and ended in a growl. "You hate Moreau.....but you are no better than him, helping him, feeding his web of lies. She's going to find out sooner or later. Why not tell the truth and help her, rather than help Moreau..."

Hargun winced as Awen shouted. As soon as she was finished she stared at her for a moment then frowned. "Smooth Awen." she sighed. "Look, you honestly want to crush it on her right away? I dont want to sound rotten, but maybe she doesnt need it to be hammered on her right away! I was lied to for several days Awen, several days in which I worked really hard, drawing and such. The reason I came to this island, and I was fooled long enough to almost side with the doctor. Ambrose and Greer explained the truth, and I was heartbroken. But it doesnt matter now how long you hold it off, once we all receive the truth, we all feel totalled. Nomatter where we came from, what we did in our previous lives, and nomatter why we particularly came here, we're all doomed to the same fate. And I believe each person should at least have some time before theyre told 'Oh my god, your turning into a damned animal, congradulations!'" Her feeling of guilt and homesickness seemed to fuel her argument, and she couldnt control some of the things she was saying.

She sighed, realizing what she just roared. "Im sorry Awen. But we're all frustrated, and adding more people to our list of sympathy to make us feel ever more sorry for ourselves isnt helping our situation at all. " Her eyes began to burn a bit. "And how dare you think we're trying to help Moreau? You're looking at this from the wrong direction."

Turning to Joliette she tried to hold back from crying. "Look.. Im sorry. Im going to sit down for now though." and she rushed for a chair, and threw her head down on the table. She did NOT like to argue with people. And it didnt matter if she won or not.. just getting involved made her breakdown.

Joliette looked well... stunned, she had been about to reply to the Dude's question when all the outburst happened, she looked back and forth between them. She was trying to sort out of this was all part of the script or not, she'd not gotten far in that script when she had begun to feel ill "I ... uh..."

The Dude put his flippers into his pockets and was gonna open his mouth and prevent the outburst, but it all happen too fast, and he didn't want to interrupt Hargun. She said exactly what he thought about the situation as well and she said it with far more passion. Instead, he patted Joliette on her shoulder and grinned, putting himself between Awen and her and uttered: "Well, Joliette, didn't that look like a few talented young actors were practicing their lines. Right? How else could you logically exlain all that make up Hargun has on?"

He quirked his eyebrow at Joliette and looked at her piercingly with his baby blue eyes. Then looking down, he added:"Well, but if you excuse me now ... gotta see how lead actress over there is doing, ey? She's all yours, Awen, if you insist." - he looked back at Awen and stepped out from between the two women's line of sight.

Well, it was in Awen's hand now. The Dude patted Joliette on the back again, and trotted off to talk to Hargun. If Awen was gonna insist on disillusioning Joliette, she could do it all by her lonesome, and she could do the babysitting of a freshly broken soul all by her lonesome as well.

The Dude sat down by Hargun, adn put his arm around the fuzzy shoulders: "I'ts okey, dude. You are right. No reason to be embarassed. Awen hasn't changed yet and so she doesn't know what a pain that is ... right." - he petted the orange hair. "C'mon ... look up ..."

She could not believe what she was hearing from either of them. She clenched her fists and possitively glared at teh back of the Dude's head as he just left their shouting match up to acting. She seriously was just so angry and hurt by the two that she didn't know whether to scream or cry. Though either one would be nice right now.

Her violet eyes brimming with tears she looked at Joliette. "I'm sorry....but the truth is the truth. The sooner you cope with it the better." She said softly before walking past her towards the doors. She paused and looked back to Hargun and the Dude.

"And you are helping the Doctor.... you are being just like him if you help his lie." She said bitterly. "Hypocrits." She hissed as she threw open the doors and left.  

[Awen Zyn]

Just Talking by the Beach

Awen still angry stormed onto the beach. Her eyes were set into a watery glare as she couldn't even see where she was going. Her food touched the softer surface of the sand but right now her anger and pain was overpowering her fear. One foot infront of the other she didn't even notice if anyone else was there. Something hard hit the toe of her shoe and she looked down. A rock was now a few feet infront of her. Damn thing.... She focused much of her anger into that rock and went to grab it. She glared out at the ocean water and whipped the rock as hard as she could. She didn't stop glaring until she heard the "plunk" of the rock hitting the surface.

Her brow twicthed feeling cheated. That was whooley unsatisfying. Her face screw up a moment before she stood right at the edge of the water and shouted as loud and as long as she could. When she couldn't hold the scream any longer she just collapsed onto her knees crying. She had... finally had it....

Jamal cursed under his breath and slumped forward so his chest rested against the flat of his thighs, arms crossed and propped on the knees. He needed to get over this bullshit. Give it a day and he'd be alright. Maybe smoke a few blunts...drink a couple beers...

An abrupt scream shattered his 'peace' and made him jump due to how loud and close by it seemily came from. He did swear out loud this time, irritation heavy in his facial expression as he got to his feet and sprayed sand all over, some of which went into his shoes and down the back of his pants. He growled and shook it out of his jeans as best he could and tried to ignore the sand dunes in his sneakers.

"God dammit, jus' leave me da ******** alone," snapped the black man to no one...or rather, to the sand. He was ready to just go home, say ******** the world, and get so buzzed and/or drunk that he'd pass out and wake up in the morning with a new day ahead of him. However, he did hear now the sounds of crying and that made him pause in his temper tantrum.

So, being the curious b*****d he was, he slunk over towards the sound and saw a darkened figure down the beach not far away. As he approached, he thought he saw a sheen of blue in the faint moonlight.

"Awen?" he called cautiously, lingering a distance away in case he was wrong and he could run off before they made him look like an idiot.

Awen gasped, half from pulling in a sob the other from surprise. She looked around quickly for the body to the voice. Had she just heard things...? She knew that deep voice anywhere but.. She wiped the tears from her eyes so teh shadows wouldn't blend together anymore.

"J-Jamal..." She said in a wavered tone. She all of a sudden felt embarrassed and stupid for having screamed so loudly and now blubbering like a baby. She sniffled and held back anymore tears. She tried to get up but, in a combination of Awen's clumsiness, her weakened state and her not being used to sand she fell back onto a knee once before standing up.

"what..what are you doing out here?" She said still surprised. She hand't seen anyone before and had just assumed....

"Bitchin'," he said as calmly as he could muster, floating uneasily at the distance at which he stood from her. "'bout the same thing you be doin'...well, minusin' the cryin' part....I kin leave, if ya want. Beach is good fo' yellin' unless there be people 'round."

He absently dusted sand from his palms, feeling distinctly uncomfortable for some reason.

She shook her head a little bit. She...didn't want to be alone, not truly. But she felt the tension around Jamal and she hesitated asking him to stay.

Instead she just cracked a smirk. "Yeah Jamal, too macho to cry huh? Hey at least you still have that up on me, eh? One out of five, right?"

As if that moment...that kiss in Jamal's duplex hadn't happened. At lunch they had settled back into their normal routine too. Awen's stomach clenched but at least Jamal was her friend...at the least.

"Betta than none outta five," he quipped back immediately, though the usual jest that would accompany that comment was missing. His mood was too rotten really to muster anything other than a lackluster smirk. Jamal decided to avoid the crying topic, feeling it would be poor taste to joke about it when she -was- obviously upset enough to be sobbing on a beach when she professed to HATE water.

However, that didn't mean he couldn't be concerned. He sort of slunk in her general direction slowly, pausing to make sure she wasn't going to blow up or anything.

"You gonna be a'ight? Dat was a loudass scream...half da time I can't even do it dat damn loud."

She looked up to him as he apporched but looked down, loosing her smirk or smile or what have you along the way. "Yeah well, they've always said I had some set of pipes on me." She mumbled barely even caring to recall that memory. She was really just avoiding the topic. She didn't know if she was going to be alright or not.

"Just got into another argument." She muttered finally. "I've hardly ever gotten into arguments before I came here..... and now..." She just sighed heavily and looked up to the rising stars. "Doesn't...doesn't really matter."

Eventually he made it so he was about three or so yards away, his sillohuete oulined against the sand by the moonlight, and jammed his hands back in his pockets.

"Mmmhmmm," he drawled, in reference to the 'set of pipes' comment, agreeing with it, but cocked a brow at her comment of arguments. Those weren't so bad...hell, he used to live for those sort of things.

"s**t changes...can't always like ev'rybody, ya know. I ain't so cool wit' mosta da otha peeps herr neitha. Peeps gonna disagree sometimes." He meant well by that comment, but it was probably far from reassuring. "I jus' avoid 'em. Dey wanna talk, dey come find me..."

Awen shifted her weight a little bit and decided to just sit back down. "Maybe..... but I don't like upsetting people..." She traced her finger in the sand. For now she was too wrapped up in other things to care about the water, though know her mind was starting to acknowledge the sound of the waves and the smell of salt.

"But I don't want to be alone either." She added rather quickly. "I just..want to please people, make them happy... I like being around people when they're happy and it hurts to see someone else upset and just kills me when I've caused it." She took in a deep breath through her teeth and made another fist feeling the sand sift through her fingers.

"But they just...make me so mad.... they're denying other people the truth. They're just ignoring it and going along with whatever lie the Doctor strings out next.... They're helping the Doctor by lying to other people.. by the way appearently we're on a movie set now." She rolled her eyes. "But they b***h at me saying how I'm looking at it all wrong. They just don't get it... Enabling the lies is just as bad as making them up yourself, which makes them no better than the Doctor!"

Of course Jamal was appropriately confused, knowing few of the details that went down, but damn it...he would save face for as long as he could. He was pretty good at bullshitting, if he might say so.

"Ya gotta unda'stand dat people ain't never gonna see things da same way...they gonna take it dif'rent ev'rytime. You might not be tryin' to start nuthin' but maybe they seein' it like you is."

He paused, trying to straighten out the mess that was Awen's last statement about the Doctor and lies and whatnot. Not all lies were bad...but it was so hard for him to really take a side on this whole thing. He wasn't going to believe the Doctor was out to ruin anyone's life until he saw it happening. Deciding not to even ask about any of that, he slipped down into the sand where he was standing, still three yards away.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Awen noted how Jamal stayed three feet away and somewhere it hurt her. She hoped she wasn't scaring him off or anything... Maybe stopping what was going on the other day made him just back off...?

These thoughts definately weren't helping. She sighed heavily hating to agree with Jamal's words. "Yeah I know but..." She sighed heavily and brought her knees to her chest wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't know... doesn't matter I guess. Nothing.. I can do about it."

She paused from her own selfish thoughts and remembered Jamal seeming upset. She looked up to him. "So what's got your goat?"

His distance really had nothing to do with her other than he figured she needed her space. She had no idea though and he hadn't passed a thought that she might take it wrong.

"Jus' tired of dis ********' island already," he said honestly, figuring it wasn't good to lie when she just ranted about people lying to other people. "Feelin' like I ain't got no place herr...missin' da bright lights n'stuff."

Jamal's face set into a hard glare, though not directed at Awen.

She nodded a little bit. She really knew the feeling of being sick of the island. She edges over to Jamal to finally sit beside him. If he moved...then he moved. But for now she just leaned her head against his shoulders. She knew she just ranted about lying but..she knew Jamal would never listen...and she just wanted to feel...normal right now. She'll curse herself later...

"So, you're going to get the Doc to send you back soon? Or at least somewhere else, another city?" She asked softly.

He didn't move away; he had just been sitting off to the side because she might have needed space...and apparently that was not the case.

At the mention of being sent away, a rueful smile appeared over his previously stony expression. "Maybe....I jus' ain't feelin' righ' herr. If I go back, I probably gonna get in trouble again...them damn cops gonna find me soona' o' lata. My options ain't dat good herr or if I leave, if what yous been sayin' is true 'bout what the Doc is up to."

Jamal said the latter carefully in hopes of not trying to irritate Awen into thinking that he thought she was making this all up. The Doctor's plan for the black man wasn't going to be clear until he started showing signs of transformation...he could just be lucky?...he really didn't want to believe any of this nonsense was going on though.

She mauled something over in her mind a long while. It had always been bugging her in the back of her mind. She debated asking though... She just nuzzled his shoulder a little bit thinking.

After a few more moments hesitation Awen glanced up at Jamal. "Why...are the police looking for you anyway...?" She asked purely with simple curiosity and stark innocence.

Jamal effectively froze as the sentence passed her lips, his eyes darting out to stare at the dark horizon as he tried his hardest to not look phased by the inquiry. He was not really in the mood to let out his little secret. He "mrrred" uneasily.

It had been an accident, of course...well...an accident that he killed the guy. He shot the guy on purpose but the fact that the bullet hit a major artery was pure bad luck.

"Uh...stupid things I done," he answered lamely, hoping she wouldn't ask further.

Awen wondered still...but he had made it clear he didn't feel right answering. she slipped her arms slowly around him. "It's okay Jamal, you don't have to say. Sorry I guess I was just curious."

She held him but in the silence that followed the waves were more apparent, the smell in the air distinct. She knew and began to tremble. She gave a small squeeze to Jamal, wishing they weren't near the ocean...

He was grateful she didn't pry; he wasn't comfortable with explaining his woes at that moment. As she wound her arms about his middle, he relaxed and dug the toe of one shoe into the sand, still staring out at the water.

However, when she started to shake bad enough to where he could feel it also, he glanced over at her and draped an arm over her shoulders, tugging her gently closer. He wasn't sure what the problem was...cold?...upset still over her argument...or was that water fear finally acting up? He gave her a questioning look.


Awen smiled briefly feeling his arm wrap around her shoulders. She looked up to give him the smile when she saw the look he gave she turned her eyes back to the sand. "I don't like the water..." She mumbled softly. "You know..scared of it and all..."

Still shaking she gave Jamal a big hug, and kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for helping me out. But... I think I'm going to head to my nice dry duplex." She stood up slowly and brushed the sand from her pants. "You really are a wonderful person Jamal... no matter what you've done... you really are a good person."

She gave him a warm smiled before turning and walking away. Her heart beat slower as she moved futher away from the waves, the salt and Jamal. She calmed down and stopped shaking. Hey... .at least she was getting used to this water thing...

He patted her on the back as she hugged him, then let her go as she moved away.
"You be a'ight. Jus' get some sleep o' sumthin'," he said quietly as she got up. "Prolly gonna get movin' myself inna minute."

As she sauntered away, he returned his gaze to the horizon and stared at the moon's reflection on the slightly rippled water. You really are a wonderful person Jamal... no matter what you've done... you really are a good person....he shook his head some. Somehow he didn't believe she'd be thinking that once she found out.  

[Awen Zyn]

Cameras, Preachers and Demons

Joliette wandered into the village some time after Amaya had left her on the beach, for once her camera was capped, she was trudging along still not quite sure where anything was and considered herself lucky to have found the village again, but she had simply gone the same direction Amaya had. She looked in thought and visibly was still overtired having had little sleep the night before.

Awen saw Joliette from the corner of her eye. She knew what trouble there was before when she had met the girl, and Awen knew she would force more of the truth upon the poor girl should they encounter. So for Joilette's sake Awen turned and seemed not to even notice the girl slowly, yet casually creeping off in one direction...

Movement caught hte corner of her eye and she looked up, it was the girl from teh night before, the one she'd barely gotten to say anything to before she rushed away. "Hello" Joli said loud enough she hoped the girl would hear her even though her voice sounded a lil weary

Awen stoped in her tracks and sighed. She had been spotted..... It's not as if she didn't like the girl or anything. But she didn't care to get yelled at by anyone today as she had the other day. She didn't need all the islanders hating her or anything.... She turned around and gave the new girl a smile. "Hey there"

Joliette changed her direction of trudging heading towards the girl hands in her pockets "How are you today?" she asked hoping she had gotten past the anger she seemed to have held the day before

"Fine fine..." She sighed a little bit and look u--down at the girl and smield apologetically. "Hey sorry about yesterday...you know..just...yeah..."

She nodded "Yeah I do, I can understand where you are coming from, honest, so don't worry about it" her eyes looked at Awen's features, well around her face at least, it didn't appear Awen had 'changed' yet

Awen blinked a little bit. "So...the others finally decided to go along the truth?" She tilted her head. "They didn't chalk my scene up to 'acting' "

"No, they didn't" she admitted "I found out this morning on the beach, a girl named Amaya told me" she bit her lip "It's a lot to take in"

Awen placed her hand gently on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry... I know it's hard." She said so softly. "But, it's better to find out now...."

Joliette nodded "Yeah, I suppose it is, it certainly wasn't what I expected" she pulled a hand from her pocket and put it on her opposite arm, the one which had hte mark of an injection "Sure would like to know what he did to make me pass out though"

Withdrawing her hand slowly she shurged. "I don' know Doctor Moreau does lots of things. maybe he poisoned you or something of the sort..." She really didn't know. Awen had coem and taken everything on this island quite willingly.

"I've never met this Moreau doctor everyone is mentioning, I met a Doctor Sabin Duvert" she said "He seemed nice enough, didn't like the fact I am vegan though... I turned down his offer of an immunization for that reason"

Awen's brain froze. Doctor[/] Sabin? No no no... It couldn't have been! Sabin was changing into...well... she wasn't sure what, but he was at the party and had those pointed ears. He had acted just like a patient. "Sabin, you said...?" She knew it was probably a different Sabin...though she didn't think it was a popular name..but it was possible. "What'd he look like?"

"Loud obnoxious tourist like clothing.. his white hair was tied back in a messy pony tail and he had a french accent" she said after thinking for a moment "Came tot he beach with a lady in a jeep, if I had a way to develope my film I'd just show you"

French accent....that did it it was Sabin. But.. he was... But it clued into her mind. That was the predatory gaze she saw in him. He wasn't turning into a predator, he was the predator. But at the same time he didn't seem so bad. Not all the staff were... as rude as Moreau. "Film you say? Oh right that camrea..." She leaned closer inspecting it and whistled slightly. "Nice piece of equipment...."

She lifted hte camera "Thanks, it's one of many pieces I had brought with me, the camera lens I used when I was taking pictures of the isle is a telescopic one..."

Stewart had finally dragged himself out of his duplex. It must of been jet-lag, because he had been dead tired . For the first time in days he was wide awake and exploring the village. Where was everyone? He wondered looking around.

She looked at the camera grinning a little bit. "Pretty sweet stuff though..." She straightened back up and saw someone new over Joliette's shoulder, a feat which Awen was happy to report wasn't hard at all to do. "Another one...."

Joli turned to see what Awen wa talking to "Hmm a wayward father" she mused lifting her camera to snap a real quick hoto but she left hte flash turned off

Stewart was starting to get a bit worried, where were the natives? He paused for a moment, looking confused... Did he hear something click? Or was it just his nerves?

She saw the confused look on his face and decided to maybe help him out...? "Hello there." She said and waved a little in his direction.

Joliette's face was more of a poker face but she couldn't help but inwardly chuckle when he seemed to hear her camera "Hello" she echoed

"Oh, hello" He said looking a bit surprized, but quickly regained his 'cool'. "...Are you two here to help with the mission trip too?" He asked, still oblivious to the truth.

"Mission..trip?" Now she wondered if this could be legitimate. After all, with all the... not so holy things on the island a mission trip might be legitemate. "What mission trip?"

((Missed a few posts >.<))

"Well... the Doctor does provide a lot for us." Awen smiled brightly. She still wondered if he knew... She just assumed natives of the island meant hte islanders already there. "But as far as I know there isn't a religious structure here. I don't really know if the Doctor is a religious man himself, personally I doubt it, but maybe he wants to help the islanders through the tough transition.

Joliette had to be blunt, she couldn't help it, it hadn't been a great day and she really was still quite tired "Did you get an 'immunization' " she asked after a moment of pondering hte situation.

"Y-Yes I did." He said looking at Joliette "But what does that have to do with anything? It's prefectly normal to get shots to prevent tropical diseases."

Awen frowned instantly. So he didn't know... "I... hate to say but the injection isn't for... diseases." She sighed a little bit. "More lies Doctor..?" She mumbled to herself.

Joliette nodded her agreement to awen's statement "I learned that this morning" she agreed.

Hargun decided to head out to the village this afternoon. Maybe shed run into Joliette or someone she knew. However once she was in range, she began to her conversation, and one of them was Awen. Now would be a good time to apologize for yesterday, but it took her a bit of courage to head towards their direction. However once in sight, she sheepishly waved and called. "Heya guys." She had forgotten that when hearing earlier there was an unfamiliar voice in the bunch. Hopefully he wouldnt mind...

Stewart didn't know how to react when he saw the newest member to the group. The voice was of a normal human girl, but she appeared to be some kind of demon. Clutching his Rosary in one hand and stepping backward. Stewart began to recite the Lord's Prayer, it was the only thing keeping him from screaming. What was this place? Hell?!?

Awen quickly stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on the preacher' shoulder. "Calm down now.... It's okay. This is Hargun, she's not going to hurt you." She said softly to him. "She's an islander." Awen gulped a little bit. "Just calm down..." She looked up at Hargun and gave her a little smiled greeting. HEsitant though from the night before. "Hey Har..."

"Thats what hte immunisation is aparently supposed to do.. She's a bat" Joliette added quietly and looked towards Hargun unsure if she should be upset with her or not "Hi Hargun" she added

Hargun paused and quirked a brow at the man apparently freaking out. "Hi Awen, Joliette." she looked down and sighed. "Hey, Im.. Im really sorry about the other night Awen . I didnt mean for things to go outta hand like that, and such.." she turned to Joliette. "And so now you know the truth I presume? I bet you really dont like me now." she said with a lame grin.

"No...No way" He said still not believing what he was seeing "There is no way a shot can do this, no tool of man can cause that. She is obvisouly posessed."He said, attempting to connect it all.

Ambrose had had a long day previously, and set out of his duplex the next afternoon, surprised as he saw a large group forming in the middle of their 'village.' He was dressed in a short-sleeved polo and long khakis, but that did little to hide his feral appearance. Swallowing, and telling himself again that he would have to get used to this, he approached the group, despite the fact that Hargun was the only one there that he knew that well. And her last reaction had been less than comforting. "H... Hi guys.." He said mustering courage, and looking warily at the two completely unfamiliar faces.

Awen turned to Andy as he approched. Oh..crap. She smiled brefly to him but grabbed the preachers shoulders. "Hey Andy!" She said quickly. "Newlings to the island." She started pulling the preacher away. "I think he needs some air." She was all for the truth but not this, especially not for a religious person, he's acting like they're demons. "Hey How about we get you a glass of water?"