Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Is that what this is about? Hmph. I've already been made aware of it, but I didn't see a reason to apologize. I could tell from the way he talked to me when I was sober that he didn't deserve one. I don't know what he was expecting, trying to call me a pet." Seething, he put a hand over his eyes, opening his mouth to take in a deep breath. "Of course I don't remember what happened that night; I was drunk. Don't remember a damn thing. And those were just scratches, the labs would have dealt with him if you hadn't. You just wasted your time, so don't pretend to be a hero."

"Don't you know what a predator is? What do I look like I'm built for, building a dam? I'm a dragon! These claws are all part of the grand design. But see them? There's a lot worse fates than at my fingertips. Just keep fighting the doctors, you'll find out exactly what I'm talking about." Feeling self-righteous, he took more confident steps toward the apparent cripple until he was just out of assumed range of those wing-hands. Like a shark, he circled slowly around the man and his walker, flexing his clawed fingers and glaring bitterly. He wouldn't hurt the man, didn't have to hurt the man at least, but he wasn't just going to walk away. "I didn't forget. I just don't let my days revolve around this stuff. I don't let my mistakes run my life like you must. I get forgiveness from the doctors, the people who count. I don't need to stoop to begging for yours, because I don't need it from lowlifes like you. I've done a lot worse to someone once than I did to your friend. I guess not too many people talk about it. Anyone ever tell you that story? The one about a power outage and Dr. Lockheart?"

"I am a dragon!" he growled, open wings beating the air uselessly. He was furious. There was nothing crazy about stating the facts. And there was nothing crazy about conforming to the ways of the island. He wasn't some pathetic, useless human being any more, and he didn't have to act like one. It did nothing for him. "I'd rather be this than human! I finally have purpose. I finally have my life back. I've moved on. What do you get out of insulting it?"

He seethed at the not-so-subtle pet crack. He was close, so close, to snapping. Of course he could defend himself. This bat-person was nothing to him. Every insult he threw made him more despicable. But Zach was reformed now, above this cycle of violence. It was exactly what he was trying to stop. He held back, but just barely. His mind caught a short statement as the other man talked and he hung onto that, tearing into it with words instead.

"Oh, hey, that's right! Slipped my mind. All these pathetic attempts to 'escape' just sort of... end up a blur. But you did try to kill her, didn't you? Funny, isn't it? You think you're so much better than I am just because you hate this place, but in the end you're just as deluded as you say I am - no, you're even more deluded. Because you wanted her dead. I may have attacked Aubrey myself but I wasn't consciously trying to murder her. It was an accident. You, on the other hand... I think courts give a death sentence for what you almost did." He was grinning now, delighted in how the bat's words were suddenly made meaningless. He didn't have to listen to this garbage. The man was a lunatic, and nothing he said would make Zach question his situation or himself. He moved closer, confidently, though force was unnecessary. He wanted to make the man squirm, make him see his mistakes. Not too close, though - no one on the island was truly made crippled by their changes. He had scars on his wing to attest to that. "You should be thankful the labs didn't kill you like they could have. They had every right to, but they spared you like they did me. You're the monster here. People like you make me glad I'm not hung up on my 'humanity' any more - you'd kill for your yours, huh? Just some common psychopath of a murderer. You are sick."

More mocking that made his blood boil. His father was dead... he didn't have a father. Sabin was the closest thing he had to one now. The doctor both looked out for him and kept him in line. It was a kind, if unavoidable, gesture of his. Zach's memories of the normal life he'd carried on for 25 years had grown fleeting with the pressing urge to purge himself of them. They were false memories. All he knew was that he'd barely had a life before this place. Sabin reminded him again and again of that. He had nothing to go back for, anyhow. All he wanted was the safety that he thought he was entitled to. All the time he feared the next punch or bite or whatever else islanders could do to him. It didn't have to be this way... but it would never end, would it? And they'd never leave him alone. His anger turned into a rumble in his throat, which was soon expelled as a short roar of exasperation. "Just shut UP!"

He could see that strange look come over the other man's face, but perceived it as part of the man's constant arsenal of insults. Against his better judgment he moved closer, intent on calling the guy's bluff. This man wouldn't honestly try to attack him... he already knew what Zach's set of claws were capable of. That was a deterrent enough for many. His tail slashed at the ground behind him, fueled by adrenaline. "Was that supposed to be a threat?"

Zach still regarded the strange look on his face as simply another insult. At least he shut up, for a time. His confidence was renewed by the temporary silence, resulting in a staring match between him and the slack-jawed bat. He was tensed up, nervous. The adrenaline was mixing with the wordless wait to create an uneasiness. Sure, if it was a joke, it was a pretty mean one. But... what if he wasn't faking that expression?

He was relieved to find that the human bat apparently wasn't going to stay in his morbid-looking trance. The ugly face, the huge teeth... teeth that reminded him he wasn't the only one packing a set of sharp fangs. The screech made was too high pitched for his ears, only adding to the strangeness of the way the man looked when he shot it off. It was frightening on some level. Deep down he knew the smartest solution was to get the hell out of there and let his pride be ravaged. He just couldn't stand for that. He didn't want some crippled, venom-spewing bat to claim a personal victory over this. "I'm not going anywhere. Don't try and threaten me. I'm not afraid of you. What are you going to do, screech in my ears? Huh?"

He supposed in retrospect he should have been expecting this, but he was too busy being surprised by the bat's sudden movement to mentally slap himself. Running should have worked. If only he'd tried running. His legs were locked up. Too many instincts, some fight, some flight, were overtaxing his mind, leaving him paralyzed in shock. But the strange chittering from the other man just moments ago brought his own bat instincts closest to the surface of his mind in his panic, and a bat's method of escape simply didn't work for him. He flapped his wings for several seconds before trying to take a step back with the intent to turn around. It was a little too late for that.

The bat slammed into him. He scrabbled on awkward feet but couldn't find his balance and toppled, off into the grassy ground on his side. It was too much, too fast, and his mind with its conflicting interests was no help. He saw the fangs again, growled, tried to lash out blindly with his own claws in an attempt to get the bat off. His wings and tail were thrashed about as well. His scales were a protection of sorts, hard rather like a crocodile's, but not enough. Sharp pain pierced his neck, through his scales, and with it came the unpleasant and hot feeling of blood welling up in the wounds. Thinking became impossible, and he stiffened his neck in fear that those fangs would rip it apart if he moved it at all. All he knew was that he didn't want to die.

Those loud, high pitched screeches right at the spots his ear used to be stunned him. The human reasoning that existed deep down within him had simply shut down rather than acknowledge that he was going to die. It was being prolonged by the sudden, painful movements of the bat, jerking backward and pulling sharply-clawed toes out of his sides. His eyes burned and his vision swam, and all the while a hissing noise seemed to permeate things. He didn't even realize it was coming from himself. But all of a sudden it was off, gone, an inert body covered in both its own blood and his, and Zach was left there to bleed into the dirt and grass like some sacrificial animal with its throat slit.

As soon as the bat had stayed lying prone on the ground for five seconds Zach shot up to a sitting position, one hand clasped to his neck. He felt extremely dizzy, and the puncture wounds stung even at the touch of his hand. When it came away, it was bloody, though it was hard to tell with the color of his scales. The steady, painful burn and oozing wetness that crept down the length of his long neck were another hint. He was overwhelmed with fear for his own life. Deep down, he was so weak, so mortal. It was inescapable. But he didn't want his death at the hands of another islander. This was madness. This was the insanity that plagued the island. If he was the only one among them who could see it, he'd have to show them all. But first... he'd have to deal with the dizziness that came with blood loss. He sincerely hoped the bite wasn't infected.

Gingerly he tried to wrap his scarf around the spot and tied it again, but the blood just kept on flowing and the material made it sting. He was afraid to stand in case he fell or moved his neck too much, but he didn't know how he was going to get away from this psychopath. Luckily, or unluckily, an ever-unwelcome tingling down his neck and spine gave way to unconsciousness. He wouldn't even recall the sharp shock that followed - it simply couldn't compete with the injury he'd just recieved.

Another dull day on the island... well, not really. Alexa hadn't been here terribly long, and she hadn't really explored much either. She'd been in her duplex most of the time, and beyond that she'd been to the beach for the alcohol and Maryke's duplex to sleuth around. She still hadn't really fully gotten the lay of the land yet, and so she was venturing out again. She was poking around the village proper, taking in the scenery, when she noticed movement from the other side of the common area.

she turned and looked, seeing a curious figure behind a large camera. She cocked a brow. Was she... waving? At... Alexa? She raised a hand hesitantly and waved back. The girl looked almost normal, had it not been for the fur and horns and snout, but other than that relatively humanesque. Not much like Newt. She wondered what sort of animal this one was, but didn't care to ask. Instead, she waited, wondering what the hell was going to happen next.