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 Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:42 pm
Light footsteps can be heard, melding into silence once they seem to come within feet of the door to the duplex. After a moment there is a loud crumpling sound, a couple of pieces of paper shoved under Tommy's door. Harmless sheet music, it seems.
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:50 pm
Tommy has been practicing on his new piano for hours on end. At the moment, he is trying to re-perfect his rendition of Ballade by Friedrich Burgmuller. While the long fingers were at first a burden, Tommy has quickly adapted. His only problem was that his thumbs were not nearly as long as the rest of his digits. But with practice, the deficiency is hardly noticable.
There is a pause in the playing when a russling sound comes from his doorway. .oO(And here comes the first movement) he thinks to himself with a grin.
He picks up Alec's response and places it on the book rest of the piano. While playing out some jazzy tune he knows, he reads the message and quickly formulates a response.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 4:47 pm
Roleplay: The First Movement Tommy and Alec -------------------------------------- Alec dashed off in the direction of Tommy's duplex, the 'note' he'd left him still crumpled in his tight fist. Unfortunately, his fast pace had brought him face-to-face with the door to Tommy's living area a little sooner than he could manage.
He stood outside for more than 10 minutes, jitterly shifting his weight from foot to foot. Suddenly he beginning to feel more than a little hesitant to 'stand up' to Tommy, even possibly afraid. Finally he knocked and waited, cold with anxiety.For those ten minutes Alec stood in front of Tommy's door, he could hear the entire piece known famously as "The Moonlight Sonata" wafting from within. It's been all Tommy has been doing for the past few days. He plays his piano day in and day out, perfecting his form with the handicap of his hands. The knock on the door throws off his tempo for a moment, but he just finishes that last line before standing and walking toward the door. Tommy opens the door a crack, sees who it is, and opens it fully. "Hey Alec, what's up?" he asks amiably. It is hard to tell that he has murder on the mind. Alec nodded a greeting, too uneasy to offer a smile at the man. "Ah... ey." He muttered, shifting from side to side again. "A'.. go' ye shee' music, wanna go oveh i' t'getheh?" He motioned to the wrinkled paper in his hand, seemingly on a nonchallant visit to review some music with a friend. His gaze was the only thing that could possibly be different, not the relaxed and easy-going Alec but a certain subtle urgency.Tommy saw the look in Alec's eyes. He saw it well and knew everything it meant. Fear, anxiety, doubt, and betrayal to name a few. And with these comes self doubt in himself. Thoughts of what he really was going to do. .oO(It's for the good of all...that's it...stop second guessing yourself, Tommy. That way leads to weakness and weakness will lead to losing the last bit of yourself that they cannot control.) Tommy looked over the shark man for a moment before nodding and opening the door wider for Alec. "Of course, man, come on in." A small exhale and he made his way inside, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room before jetting towards a spare chair and taking a seat. "S'no good." The teen abruptly started before Tommy could say a word. He pointed to the sheet music though he locked his sight on him for the time being. "Th'armoneh's all wrong... All... messed. A' do'n think a' c'n play this Tommeh."
He used odd terms to seem natural to the situation. They were always watching, always listening. Tommy watches Alec as he sits in one of the few pieces of furniture he owns. The entire room is dominated by the large piano that Sabin dropped off where his bed should be. Tommy nods a few times as he listens to what Alec has to say. Taking a seat on his piano bench, Tommy turns to face the teen. "Harmony...yeah, that's what I thought you'd say, Alec," he says as he leans foreward, resting his elbows on his knees, "But that's just it. You're looking at each individual note and not at the entire composition. The opening act is discord incarnate, Alec. I know it....you know it. And I realize, that it seems harsh at first. I really do. But look at the composition as a whole. Look at the finale and see that the discord is necessary to show the true beautiful harmony of the entire peace. Alec. Take another look. You may find that it's not that you can't play it...it's that you don't want to try." There was another tremor in Alec's chest, just like when Angelina mentioned Aubrey's name. He listened intently, watching the nocturnal man's movements at the same time. Discord was an understatement but what if he was right? Big changes never happened with pacifistic attempts over a tea party. He didn't have to be the one to do it anyways, right? From the sounds of it Aubrey was his responsibility, he could deal with that.
He didn't respond at first, dropping his head to stay away from Tommy's eyes. Black voids that could convince him to kill his own mother, he swore. "A' guess theh's no 'ope fo' a bridge" He smirked a little despite his sore mood, finding the agruements he'd had in his mind a few minutes ago failing to justify his point. "A' foun'wheh th'key note lies." He murmured low, head still down as if in acceptance of a defeat. He might as well let him know what he'd found..oO(Jesus...I can't trust this poor kid...he just doesn't realize that this is more than getting rid of a tormentor. This is justice. Moreau has ruined so many lives without a bat of an eye but this kid...this young man...still he has trouble even contemplating what I must do. Most would call him naive, some would call him stupid...but me? Goddamn, I think he may be one of the few people here who still has his soul...and I'm about to take that away) "Alec...I'm not forcing you to play and I'd appreciate it if you stopped acting like I was. You agreed to help me with this because you were interested in the finale. Well the song has a beginning too which must be played out before you there's even any hope of making the finale sound as great as I told you it would. But if you want to go back to beating your drums...well, who would I be then if I were to stop you?" Alec's head slowly rose, what he was about to say was hard to tell from his expression until a fierce frown began to crawl over his features. "Ye thin' a' d'n know tha'?" He retorted slowly, tentatively. "Ye thin' a' don' take me music seriousleh, ye thin' am some brat wi' no 'ope." As his aggitation rose, his ability to pronunciate decreased. A long time ago he would've accepted a personal stab like that without a blink of an eye but he was slowly losing that part of him, ironically much to Tommy's credit.
"A' know 'ow impo't'nt this piece is!" The teen rose, grey eyes with pupils growing large as his temper began to flare. He took a large step towards the seated Tommy. "LOOKI' ME!!!".oO(Warmer...warmer...ah...disco. Give 'em a hand, we have a winner. There may be some hope yet) Tommy knew he was on the brink of something. What, he wasn't sure, but he was definately on the brink of it. This could go his way...or it could end rather messily. He was relatively sure he couldn't stand much of a chance against Alec in his current condition. At least in a confined area like this. He had to word this just right. Tommy doesn't move, but just keeps on staring at Alec. "I am, Alec. My eyes are open But are yours? When was the last time you looked at your own section of the music and really saw how it changed...and understood who really influenced it?" Alec held his gaze, the fact that Tommy hadn't faultered at all at his outburst only made him stop and think about what he was doing. Slowly, the teen's eyes fell passively again, a hand raising to rub at his face, almost distressed. What the hell was that? had he ever even raised his voice that loudly? A second ago he was ready to rip Tommy apart.... when... had it gotten so BAD?
The young shark returned to his seat and stared at the floor. Why did he have to be right. All this time he'd missed his friends, his home, his town and he knew who was responsible for taking him away from all that. It was like staring at a convicted criminal through a two-way mirror.Mentally, Tommy releases a huge sigh of relief. His shoulders relaxing minutely is the only outward sign of this. Tommy had mentally prepared himself for this. He knew it had to come sooner or later, but he's glad it was over now. The hurdle with helping Alec through this has been done and Tommy is infinately grateful for that. Because when the truth came down to it: Alec had too many teeth for Tommy not to be worried. "Alec..." and for once, he doesn't know what to say next. He just sighs and follows Alec's gaze to the floor. "Neh, a' neh..." He babbled and shook his hand as if to tell Tommy that he didn't care to hear any more. He'd struck something in his speech and it made him realize that this plan was a reality and that it would have to come to pass, it just had to. This wasn't for him alone. This was for people like Cody, the orphaned child, Amaya and everyone else who'd made him realize throughout his stay on that prison that someone had to stand up and refuse.
Gathering his composure, he spoke again in a much more subdued tone. "Th'note theh, th'impo't'nt one. It's 'n secti'n numbeh one. I'll fix i'.... bu' thas when th' peh'fo'mance will 'afta stawt... a' think." He looked back at Tommy, trying to make sure they were clear on this. It was the only detail he was sure on, so he'd make sure it went smoothly.Tommy keeps his head lowered for the extent of Alec's information. .oO(Number one...dear God...that's Ambrose's duplex. What would someone...an islander of all people...be doing living with someone who is in cahoots with Moreau? Gah...it doesn't matter. Not in the long run. We just need to do the job, that's all.) The cadet looks up at Alec when he finishes, "Section one you say? Yeah...alright. I understand. How's about you play that part for me tomorrow? Let me see how it sounds?" Alec nodded grimly but sternly. No matter how harsh ithad sounded, Tommy was right. It was the way. At least having been put in charge of the "hostage", Alec could ensure that Aubrey could go free after it all was through. Getting up from his seat, the teen looked like he was ready to leave.Showing tiredness beyond his years, Tommy stands soon after Alec and follows him toward the door. "Glad to hear it," is all he says in reply to Alec's nod. He opens the door for the shark-man.
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 11:49 am
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 6:02 pm
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Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 1:29 am
The loudspeakers in the village and the speakers in everyone's duplexes crackled through at once. The voice of Moreau resounding through the entire area. "Greetings my oh so precious subjects. This is Dr. Moreau, if you weren't already aware, recently an attack was made on my fiance Dr. Aubrey Lockheart, and a threat to me."
"Now while the threat has been dealt with, there is the issue of punishment. Many of you have been here for some time and already have learned what it is like to live without my hospitality, but obviosly some of you recent subjects seem to have gotten the idea that you might have some... leverage here." Moreau half laughed over the intercom.
"That said, the perpetrators of this henious act are to be punished, their duplexes will be locked and they will be left to the wild. They will not be allowed within 100 ft of the village. If they violate this they will be knocked unconcious and kept that way until someone drags them outside of range. In addition they will not be allowed food, clothes, or supplies from the village. They will be watched and anyone who is caught giving them any of these materials will suffer a simlar fate. Perhaps this was they'll learn the error of crossing me. If..." a smug grin on Moreau's face showing through the intercom. "...they haven't already."
"Learn your place boys." is Moreau's final message as the intercom goes off.
Suddenly, you and anyone around you black out, when you wake up, your in the village exactly 100 ft from the village. Of course, anyone around you would black out where they were. You have only one set of clothing, most likely whatever you were wearing unless you were not wearing anything significant.
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:39 am
Tommy was just sitting in the chair in his room, one of the few things there besides the piano, trying not to breath too deeply. Everything still hurt like hell. From the random cramps in his hands and arms to what he could guess were a few broken ribs, everything hurt. He still hadn't mustered up the effort to take off his BDU's, but he could guess what the left side of his torso would look like: a mass of yellow and purple bruises. The ribs weren't what bothered him the most though, it was the trouble breathing. Had he punctured his lung? He wasn't sure, but regardless, it hurt.
Tommy looked up as he heard the crackling of a loudspeaker. .oO(Attention in the area, attention in the area...) he chuckled to himself, remembering the constant PA system announcements at the Academy. And then he heard his voice. That sonofabitch. A frown crosses Tommy's face as he hears the message.
"Of ******** me..." is the last thing he can say before getting zapped.
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Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 9:24 pm
Roleplay: Tommy-aid Tommy and Gaius -------------------------------------- Tommy Christian Tommy leans back against the rockface overhang he found in the mountains, cold and lonely. It's been days since he was kicked out of the village and hasn't seen a soul since. .oO(I'm going to die out here...) he thinks to himself for about the hundreth time, (starving to death...goddamnit...what a way to go.) Tommy has been sleeping more and more lately in his lean-to. He was able to construct it using his BDU jacket (which had almost killed him due to the pain in his ribs and lung). The cadet looks much thinner than he once did and more than a little unhealthy. The blinks a few times and feels unconsciousness try to bash its way into his mind. Gaius Harper After the excitement of the past couple of days, Gaius felt a need to get away from the Village, if at least for a little while. The edge of the jungle was ever-present at the corners of his vision, calling to him. Grabbing a bag from his duplex and stocking up on some water and food from the caf, Gaius set off into the jungle. Surprisingly, there were already clear paths cut through the trees, apparantly well-used by the other island inhabitants. Leaving about mid-day, it was some hours before Gaius found himself wandering in the direction of the mountainous region of the island. The fresh air was invigorating, as was the act of exerting himself physically. He'd never had landscapes like this to travel through back home in the states. There was a profound sense of isolation out here in the wild jungle of the island. So it was a surprise when Gaius stumbled upon Tommy. Pushing his way out of the trees, Gaius's first sight was of the make-shift jacket-tent. Nearing it, he caught sight of the guy inside, and approached at a quickening pace. The guy looked to be injured, or sick. That was dangerous out here in the wild! It wasn't until he was about a yard away that Gaius noticed the bizarrely-elongated fingers. He stopped in his tracks, unsure of whether to approach any closer or not. His encounters with the animal-people had been unpredictable, at best, but this one looked more human than animal... "H-hey there!" he hazzarded. "Do you need help?" Tommy Christian A buzzing noise fills Tommy's ears as Gaius's words fall bluntly around him. .oO(No...I don't want to wake up...it still hurts up there. Just sleep...sleep until the pain goes away). Tommy's eyes flutter open a moment before he squeezes them shut. .oO(Goddamn...wait...is someone here?) His eyes flutter open again, but there is not much there besides grogginess. Gaius Harper Ah damn, the guy was definitely in bad shape. Figuring he was too ill to try and attack Gaius at all, the architect closed the distance and knelt down beside Tommy. His hand first went to Tommy's forehead, feeling the heat radiating from it. Shoot, a fever. That usually meant there was more wrong below the surface. Sliding his bag off his shoulders, Gaius quickly dug out the first aid kit he'd packed, as well as one of his old shirts and a water bottle. Dousing the shirt, he placed it on the guy's forehead to help cool him off. Then his eyes passed down over the rest of the guy. His limbs looked to be okay, but he definitely looked mal-nourished. Looking back up at Tommy's face, Gaius asked, "Can you tell me where you're hurt? I'll try and help, but I have to know what's wrong first..." Tommy Christian The ********...? What is this? Tommy's eyes begin to focus on the man who is busy trying to help him. For a brief moment he tenses up, thinking that they've come to give him another injection, but his quick mind eases this suspician as he sees the bright red cross of a first aid kit. There's a quick intake of breath as the cold shirt is placed against his forehead. Tommy lets out a low groan, his lung and ribs starting to hurt again. "Wha...whadya say? I...urrrhh...my ribs...they're broke" Gaius Harper "Broken ribs?" Gaius winced. "Damn..." There was nothing to do for broken ribs but let them heal themselves. And from the sound of it, this guy was in a hell of a lot of pain thanks to them. Gaius wondered how long he'd been out here like this... He probably couldn't even fend for himself. Glancing around the small camp area, Gaius found no sight of anything edible. Well, he'd already resolved to help this guy when he'd approached him. Unpacking one of the sandwiches he'd made earlier, Gaius pulled back the tinfoil wrapping and held it out towards the guy. "Here, do you think you can manage some food? It'll help things heal..." Tommy Christian Slowly, Tommy's mind began to unfuddle itself; digging itself out of the tarpit it had become. We may actually get full sentences soon. Tommy studies the man's face for a moment as he tries to remember what exactly is going on. .oO(Huh...completely unchanged...goddamnit, I didn't help anything...) Tommy eyes the offered sandwich with both longing and disgust, if such a thing were possible. "I'm...*wincecoughwince* I can't...I can't eat that..." Tommy reaches up and weakly taps his nosferatu-like fangs with the side of a spindly finger, "...vampire bat." Tommy grins a little at this which turns into a demented chuckling. It's obviously causing him pain, but he can't control himself. He feels like just letting go and allowing himself to freak right the ******** out. The chuckling quickly turns to dry sobbing as he's forced to face his current situation. He covers his face with his freakishly deformed hands. Gaius Harper Gaius gave Tommy's refusal a confused look before he explained his unfortunate diet. His stomach cringed inside him. The labs could even change eating habits? "V-Vampire bat... That would explain the ears... and hands..." A sympathetic twitch went through his own fingers at the sight of the stretched digits. They looked so awkward. Then the chuckling came, degrading into sobbing as Gaius watched, feeling immensely awkward. It was embarassing, to a degree, to see a grown, tough man sobbing behind his hands, but what was even more embarassing was that Gaius could see himself in Tommy's place. He'd been on the verge of that state just the other night before Antony had straightened him out. Gaius offered the bat-man a tentative pat on the shoulder, all the while wishing he was a better comforter, and smiled weakly. "I... I know it's bad, but at least you're alive, right? Things could be worse." Tommy Christian Tommy's degraded emotional state cleared up after a moment. He looks up at gaius with blood-shot eyes. "...You shouldn't be here, man...they'll lock you out like they did me if you give me anything..." Tommy stares at his hands for a moment, "I tried to escape...no...no, not just escape. I tried to get rid of the man who's doing all of this to us...it's just that Moreau was one step ahead...that's all. Now I'm here. They want me to die out here, and...and I think I'm going to let them do it. Just...God...I wouldn't want anyone to be stuck out here like this..." Gaius Harper A look of surprise, as well as a hint of admiration, crossed Gaius's face. This guy had some guts, if he'd gone after this terrible 'Moreau' himself. "That you even attempted that... wow." He shook his head slightly, ignoring Tommy's pleading warning. "I doubt they'll care much about what I do... I'm just a new guy, after all," he grinned and gave a half-shrug. "And I'm not about to let you die out here, not even if those lab guys want it." Gaius picked up the waterbottle he'd set aside and pulled off the top, offering it to Tommy to take. "Here, take some water at least, and..." He dug a small bottle out of the first-aid kit, taken from his own duplex. "Here's some pain-killers for the ribs. Listen, maybe I should get you back to the duplexes, you're in no condition to survive on your own out here..." Tommy Christian Tommy takes on a look of wonder at the sight of pills. He takes the bottle of water and pills gingerly, afraid they may dissapear, and quickly downs two pills. He leans his head back in placebo bliss. "Oh...Goddamn...thanks, man...but..." Tommy sighs and looks back to Gaius, "But they won't let me back there. According to the announcement they made concerning my...'punishment,' I'll be zapped into unconsciousness the moment I get within one hundred feet of the village." Tommy sighs and shakes his head. Gaius Harper Gaius's brows met as he listened. "Not even for medical reasons...? Harsh. But, I guess trying to take down the head guy has its consequences..." He hadn't been on the island at the time of the announcement, but he could imagine this Moreau fellow was not one to mess around. Picking up the unwrapped sandwich, Gaius took a bite himself, gesturing for Tommy to keep the bottle. "S'alrighf," he said around a mouthful, "Ah've mo' back a' the duplex." Something Tommy mentioned struck Gaius as curious, though. He was still learning about all the ins and outs of the island and its security. Swallowing down his sandwich, Gaius looked curiously at his camp-companion. "Just wondering... what do you mean by 'zapped'? Do they have rayguns or something?" Tommy Christian Tommy stares as Gaius takes a bite from the sandwhich. Oh God how he wishes he could do that...he's so hungry...the bat-man blinks a few times and looks back to his helper. "From what I understand, they implant a chip or something into everyone here 'n can make you go unconscious...or just paralyze you...at will. I didn't really believe it myself until it happened. Nope, this place is pretty much the nicest prison in the world." Tommy shakes his head a bit, both from this horrifying notion and exaustion creeping back to greet him. Gaius Harper "'Nicest prison in the world.' That's a good way to put it," Gaius agreed. "Getting out is going to be hard... but..." A gleam of determination lit up Gaius's eyes. He scanned the area with a couple glances, wondering if they really had cameras this far out, and leaned closer to Tommy. A hard smile spread across his face. "Listen, what you did wasn't for nothing. Don't give up hope yet. There's... actions being taken by others. Hold on to your bravery and keep on fighting." All of this came out in a rushed whisper, and Gaius sat back at the end, eating his sandwich and acting as if nothing had happened, though his face remained set. If Tommy could have the guts to take on the labs, then Gaius could at least do his best to honor that bravery and cary out his part of the deal with Antony and the bottles. Tommy Christian Tommy sees the same gleam in the eyes of Gaius as he imagines that he had after his first change. He blinks a few times after the man's hurried whisper. For a moment Tommy draws in on himself; a mind at war: Here I am...a day or so away from dying, all because I tried to rock the boat. Why couldn't I have just left well enough alone? Just...just let them...turn me into a monster...take away my hands...Goddamn them ...******** all. I can take this and more. And this guy? I warned him and he still wants to do something about it. s**t, he's seen the condition I'm in and he's not daunted in the least. Better than Alec, no offense to the kid, but he just wasn't up to it. Alec was a bad choice...but this guy...hell, he says he's already got others on his side. ******** this, I'm not dying out here!A grin spread across Tommy's face, showing off the razor-like fangs that adorn his mouth. "Name's Tommy." Gaius Harper Gaius waited patiently as Tommy sat and thought; Whatever he decided was up to him now. So when the grin came, Gaius greeted it with a friendly one of his own, straight, normal teeth to contrast the fangs of Tommy. He held out a hand for him to shake, not thinking of the difficulties his companion might have with the act. "I'm Gaius. Gaius Harper. And, if you ever get back into the village, I'm in Duplex 62." Tommy Christian Tommy reaches out to shake Gaius's hand if only by habit. His hand would seem a bit frail, but otherwise none to different from his own...minus the long fingers that is. "You heading out?" he asks, secretely loving the simple act of conversation. Tommy winces a bit from hunger pangs but other than that, he just looks over gaius again. Gaius Harper Truthfully, with his water bottle gone, Gaius would have to head back to the village sooner than he'd been expecting. But Tommy seemed sorry to see him go. Gaius sighed, torn on the inside. "I should start back soon, it's going to take me a while to find my way... Even if this is an island, it's easy to get lost out here. But..." he looked back at Tommy with a friendly smile, "I can spare a little time, I guess." Making himself more comfortable, Gaius shifted over to lean against the rock wall beside Tommy. "So... what did you do before you came here? I met a woman who was a mechanic once. Seems a lot of people have been taken from their lives..." Tommy Christian Tommy glances over at Gaius for a moment before leaning his head back against the rock and sighing. What he really needed was something to eat...er...drink. Maybe I can catch something...and drink...GOD! Why!? Stop thinking like that!Gaius's word caught up to him and Tommy closes his eyes in thought, "I was a cadet in officer training school up at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado. Goddamn that seems a long time ago now." Gaius Harper Oblivious to Tommy's instinctive hunger, Gaius listened, eyebrows raising slightly. "The Air Force? Really? I... I'd actually thought about joining, once... But I didn't want to leave my dad alone. Still... I've always wondered what it would be like to fly by myself." He chuckled, shaking his head. "I always figured I'd take flying lessons later, when I was settled and could take the time. Guess that's going to have to wait a while!" Tommy Christian "Yeah..." Tommy sighs and begins chuckling, "It's kinda ironic, actually...I wasn't pilot qualified back at the Academy...I'm colorblind. But here, it seems I'll get my wings...at the expense of my hands." Tommy is silent for a moment until another hunger pang hits him, "Goddamn, I've gotta get something to eat...It's been two days since I've had anything of sustinence in me..." The bat-man pushes off against the rock wall and begins to rise, in obvious pain from his ribs. Gaius Harper "Colorblind? So, what, you see everything in greys?" Gaius tilted his head inquisitively. At the mention of Tommy's hands, he winced sympathetically, though didn't yet consider himself undergoing such changes. All this animal stuff was still too distant for him. Things happening to other people, not himself, though Tommy'd struck close to home. He reminded him of the kind of guys he'd hang around back in school or in the work force. At his mention of food, Gaius frowned. "But I thought you said you couldn't eat anything...?" He stood up as well, though he let Tommy rise on his own, not wanting to intrude on his self-reliance. Tommy Christian Tommy grins at that, "Nah, I just have trouble differentiating between extremely slight differences in the color green." Tommy places a hand near the massive bruise at his side once he has straightened up. Goddamnit this still hurts."From what I've tried, I just can't eat solid foods. I just end up throwing it up. If I can get my hands on a protein shake or something...I haven't...ugh...I haven't actually tried blood yet." Gaius Harper Gaius nodded, grateful for the explanation. "I guess I can see how that can make problems..." Since Tommy was standing up, Gaius figured he'd be moving to get food. Packing and shouldering his bag took only a moment and he was soon standing beside the guy. "B-blood?" His face blanched. "I-I can't imagine trying that at all..." The very thought made his insides squirm. "But... I don't imagine there's any place you can find a protein shake out here... Maybe in the caf?" he offered hopefully, forgetting about the punishment Tommy'd mentioned. "It's a walk away, but we could get there in a couple hours if we push it." Tommy Christian "Yeah...me neither...but anyway, they claim that I can't go within 100 feet of the village or I'll get knocked out or something. In all honesty though, if it's between that or starving out here, I'll try my hand at the shock therapy any day, you know?" Tommy heads off in the direction of the village, taking a swig from the water bottle as he goes. Gaius Harper "I dunno, shocked to unconsciousness doesn't sound like it can be good for you..." Gaius trailed behind Tommy a bit, keeping an eye on the guy. It was obvious he was still in a whole lot of pain, but he hoped the medications he'd brought were taking the edge off at least. He seemed better than when he'd first come across the guy in any case. The going was a bit rough, with the uneven roots crossing the path at random. Gaius just hoped Tommy'd be able to manage the hike. Tommy Christian "Yeah, but it's not nearly as bad as the alternative. Besides...I honestly wonder if they'd even notice it. I mean, if you think about it, they must spend a shitload of cash on this place, right? They wouldn't just let one of their subjects die out here...right?" he asks, sounding hopeful. Tommy seemed to be handling the rough terrain rather well. His combat boots holding up fine and his conditioning in 7,258 feet above sea level has helped him stay in shape. Still, every now and again he turns too hard and his ribs begin to hurt again. Gaius Harper Gaius grunted non-commitally, hoping that Tommy's theory was right... for his sake. Considering it'd taken a couple hours for Gaius to get out this far, they made good time. Having a steady pace helped, and Gaius wasn't taking a leisurely stroll this time. "Wonder if they really do have cameras out here..." he muttered to himself at one point. It seemed unlikely with all of the foilage, but Gaius didn't know the extent of the lab's reach. Tommy Christian Tommy just keeps on trucking, doing his best not to show how much pain he was in. "That's what I'm told...every inch of this place is covered. That or motion sensors everywhere," Tommy says and shrugs. He slows up a bit once he sees the clearing up ahead which means the village is near. Gaius Harper Motion sensors... The architect hadn't thought of that. Somehow, it made sense. They had to some kind of tracking means, at least. He continued on past Tommy as he slowed and glanced back over his shoulder. "...You holding up okay? You don't look unconscious yet," he added with a teasing chuckle. Tommy keeps on walking until he reaches the ede of the clearing. He pauses a moment, hovering one foot over the edge...and steps over. There's nothing. He takes a nother step, a grin spreading over his face. "HAH! Eat my s**t muthafu..." Tommy's face goes rigged and his left eye twitches a few times as he is shocked into unconsciousness. He falls to the ground in a heap. Gaius Harper Gaius watched intently as Tommy took a step... and then another. A victorious grin spread across his face, thinking they'd somehow managed to catch the labs in a bluff. "Haha! That's it Tommy, just-" His words were cut off as Tommy suddenly went straight as a flagpole, and then crumpled to the ground in an unconscious pile. "Tommy!" Gaius yelped, rushing back to the guy. A touch assured him he was still alive, but out for the count. And such trauma couldn't be good on his ribs. "Ah shoot..." Gaius cursed. Grabbing the guy under the armpits, Gaius hauled him back away from the village with much grunting and dragging. Once they were back well within the trees, he let the body down to rest on the ground, anxiously looking Tommy over. How long did the shock last anyways? Gaius couldn't leave him alone and unconscious like this... Tommy Christian Tommy would lay unconscious for the better part of ten minutes, a leg twitching every now and then. Soon though, he begins to stir, a groan escaping his mouth that may or may not be a curse depicting a vulgar way in which Moreau came into this world. He blinks his eyes a few times, his peepers being more bloodshot than ever. "...didn't work...did it?" He asks after a few minutes of just laying there. Gaius Harper Gaius shook his head sadly. "Sorry pal... Looks like they're good on their word." He remained squatting beside Tommy, glancing between him and the village. Maybe... Maybe he could grab something for the guy... Gaius Harper He shook his head, eyes saddening despite the smile on his lips. "I'm sorry to hear that... But I can't just leave a guy dying out in the jungle, can I? Listen, maybe I can grab a shake for you... I'll just run in really fast, and run back here. Maybe they wouldn't notice..." Tommy Christian "I couldn't let you do that, man..." Tommy says, even though he so wants to tell him to run as fast as he can and get him food, "I mean...no...don't do that for me. I'd more like to kill myself than to see another person locked out..." Tommy sits up and looks to Gaius, "Just...I can make it back on my own...maybe I'll set up a snare...or something." He refuses to think of what he'd do if he actually caught something. Gaius Harper Gaius's face scrunched up in disgust, imagining what Tommy'd have to resort to. "Maybe... Maybe there's some kind of trees with fruit out here. There has to be, this is a tropical island, right? Maybe you could suck on them for food..." His shrug was hopeful, if unsure. He had no clue if what he said was true, but it was possible, right? Pulling off his bag once more, Gaius pulled out the few personal items he'd brought, and handed the bag over to Tommy, complete with packed food, first aid kit, and a change of clothes. "Here, you can make better use of this stuff. Maybe you can mash up the food and mix it with water so you can get it down?" Tommy Christian Tommy stands with a grunt of effort. For a second it seems he may pass out again, but he stabilizes himself at the last moment. He shakes his head, "I'm sorry Gaius...that'd be just as if you went to get me food from town. It's a d**k move they did...but I don't want to see anyone else suffer because of me. I'll...I'll manage. I always have before." Tommy gives a slight grin and turns to move off in the direction of the jungle. Gaius Harper The poor guy... Gaius couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He had it tough. Really tough. At least in the village, Gaius had a place to live and food to eat. To see the labs do this to a guy... It only strengthened his resolve. He'd get them off that island. For Tommy's sake, and everyone else under the thumb of that cursed Moreau and Sabin. He stepped after Tommy, catching him with a hand on the shoulder, and gave it a quick supportive squeeze. "Stay strong, okay? Show those lab rats you're made of better stuff than they are." Tommy Christian Tommy laughs, though it's hard to tell if there's any real humor in it. "Yeah...I'll try, Gaius...I'll try." He refrains from returning the pat due to obvious reasons concerning his hands before he turns and starts off back into the jungle. Gaius Harper After watching Tommy head off, Gaius sighed and shook his head. What a life they had. Reshouldering his bag, he turned back towards the village, intent on the cafeteria and a good meal.
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Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 9:25 pm
Sabin Duvert The labs are cruel, particularly to those individuals who have crossed particular individuals in the higher ranks of the staff. However, above all, subjects are costly, and as much as Moreau wants to see those who threatened Aubrey and Moreau himself indirectly suffer, he doesn't want them to die. Not much can be done to broken ribs, but when Tommy next slips off to sleep, his chip is activated to keep him that way long enough for antibiotics to be administered through a needleless, high-powered compressor device (so as to not leave an injection mark). Then, a severely injured (but not dead) capybara is left not twenty feet from Tommy's campsite. The creature appears to have been mauled by something with claws, and it stumbles around, making pitiful noises, and leaving a very pungent smell of blood.
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 3:45 pm
The first thing Tommy awakened to was a throbbing headache. Whether it was from a couple days without food or the fever he had, he wsan't sure. All that he knew is that he usually didn't even feel this bad after the Krewe of Tucks Ball during Mardi Gras...which is saying a lot. Come to think of it though, Tommy actually didn't feel like he was all that sick...just kind of hung over. Seems the fever broke over night or something...thank God...Tommy blinks his eyes open and rubs the sleep out them with the back of his hand. And all of a sudden, there it was. Tommy's eyes go wide awake as he smells something...he's not sure what it is, but damn does it smell good. Tommy crawls out of his lean-to and spots it. To Tommy it's the biggest looking rodent he's ever seen. Bigger than the Nutria back home. And to the cadet's surprise...his mouth begins to water. C'mon...That thing doesn't look apetizing...but I wonder what happened to it? It looks like it's...dying...it's all covered in blood...no...nononono...I'm not going to...Jesus...But I'm so ******** hungryTommy shuffles foreward toward the hurt animal. It tries to move away, but can't do so quickly enough due to it's injuries. Unthinking, mind on autopilot, he grabs at the animal and uses his razor-like teeth to tear open the soft flesh. As the first drops of blood touch Tommy's tongue, he can swear that he can taste heaven.
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Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:49 pm
Roleplay: Fight Night, Round one Tommy and Alec -------------------------------------- Alec Derring It had taken a lot of self-convincing for Alec to venture far from the river. The trek there seemed much longer than he remembered, each step making him regret the distance between himself and his homemade campsite but he had to do it. There was no food where he was, the current of the river being too slow to house anything edible that didn't suck mud for a living. The ocean was the answer.
The sharkboy heaved a sigh of relief when he broke out of the foliage to the sight of the vast expanse of water. It was salty, but it would satiate him for the time being. He'd even learned a new trick, wrapping his bandanna around his gill openings to prevent the painful stinging of salt on soft flesh. He'd sharpened a stick with his teeth, and now cumbersomely spent his time diving over and over with each attempt to catch a meal. Tommy Christian Tommy needed a change of scenary. He'd been cooped up too long in the little cave he made for himself with his lean-to. That, and he needed something to pry his mind away from his most recent "meal." Of course, the blood stains on his shirt and pants and the crusty red stuff drying on his beard stubble is a constant reminder to him. The ex-cadet must seem quite a site right now, with his bloody clothing, unkempt hair, military uniform, and wild eyes. But between all of this, his ribs weren't bothering him too much today, and for that he was forever thankful. He spots someone out in the water...a familiar shape. ...well, this should be funAlec Derring Alec surfaced once again with little more to show for his efforts than a few hunks of seaweed entangling he sharpened point of his makeshift spear. The beach was proving to be just as unforgiving as the river in comparison to the ease of fishing, but the teen wouldn't relent. The steak he never really recalled eating hadn't lasted him long as expected, his stomach now urging him on to continue the activity.
Gasping for a breath, a figure on the shore caught his eye that made him stop himself mid-stroke. It looked like a very ragged and torn islander who looked as if he'd seen better days. In fact, those hands were so unforgettable that the teen could hardly mistake them for anything else.
He made a sharp turn in the water and sank his face down, treading towards the shore with nothing more than his line of fins breaking the surface in a daunting image straight from Jaws. His old friend, who'd thought he'd chance up on him. Tommy Christian ...huh, thought none of the fish people could swim in the ocean...go figure.Tommy quirks a brow as Alec spots him and then soon dives under. Tommy doesn't know whether to laugh or be horrified as he sees the dorsal fin sprout from the water and head in his general direction. The bat-man decides to stop about ten feet from the shoreline. He's still not sure what Alec's reaction will be, and if it's anger...well...he will sure as hell not want to be too near the water. Alec Derring Alec could see Tommy enter the water before anything else, his sense heightened to that of an aquatic predator though the boy was harmless most of the time. On this occasion, he was not in the best of moods.
On a crash-course with the bat man, he continued approaching shore until he came to within feet of Tommy. The seafloor was still too far down to stand, so he treaded water and simply stared back with blackened eyes. Tommy Christian Tommy could still stand, the water a little under waist height for him. He noted Alec was still treading water, deciding there was more than likely a drop off of some sort right in front of him. He's suddenly glad he didn't go further out. If he plunged any further into the water, any residual blood on his shirt would get washed into it. And with a shark no more than five feet away...well...that's usually not a good thing. He reajusts his boots which are tied together by the laces and hung over his shoulder before speaking, "...How's the jaw?" Alec Derring "Betteh." Alec answered curtly, his voice slightly chilly and devoid of its normal friendliness. He would try to remember what exactly had happened to Tommy that day so he could at least inquire about his recovery as well, but he didn't want the flood of memories that came with it. And yet, no sooner would he recall that day and realize that he had no idea what had been done to the bat-man due to the cruel and unusual turn of events. Nevertheless, there he was. The man he personally held responsible for it all.
"An' ye?" He decided on replying with the generalized statement to make up for his lack of knowledge. Tommy Christian Tommy looks about in thought, this was just to mask him taking a step backwards though. His worry of blood touching the water increases. He looks back to Alec, staring into those cold almost dead looking shark eyes. And not for the first time is he considering what it would feel like to have those rows of teeth rip out his throat. "Broken ribs heal...punctured lungs get better...But...don't worry 'bout me. Just thought I'd stop by...'n see how yer making out." Alec Derring Alec would've spat if he had the gall to as he listened to Tommy speak. He wouldn't allow himself to believe for one moment that he cared how he was, how he was fairing after being thrown out into the wilderness with little more than his swimming trunks. Tommy himself had courage to come here and speak to him, that was for sure.
"Tryin' t'catch some food." The boy remarked as he lifted the sharpened stick he was still gripping from under the water. He hadn't had any luck either he realized, which only annoyed him further. "Ye look like ye seen some betteh days though." With that comment, he began his slow approach towards shore once again with little regard to the bat-man. Tommy Christian Tommy has seen that look before and he just sighs. He follows Alec toward the shore, suddenly looking rather pissed off. "Yeah well, haven't we all? Sure as hell seemed to have made an a*****e out of you," he says once he reached the shore. "But hell, why shouldn't you have the right to? You more than hate me right now. But hey, I guess we all need someone to blame..." his initial spur of anger dies down as soon as it came into being. Now, well...now he's just tired. Tired and lonely. This is my fault and no one elses...s**t, maybe it wouldn'tve been so bad if I let some of that blood drop into the water...let Alec tear me to pieces...God..."..for what it's worth though...I wanted to apologize for ******** everything up for you..." he says softly before turning away from Alec, seemingly about to walk off. Alec Derring Alec kept walking right past Tommy as he spoke, most of what he was saying passing straight though the two holes for ears he now possessed, much like the immature teenager he was. Amongst Tommy's attempt to angrily retort at the sharkboy's obvious rudeness, he only seemed to make it worse as he shot the middle finger at him from over his shoulder while still walking away.
He stopped as the man just about admitted defeat, not buying any of it at first. A long time ago he was stupid enough to quickly believe the s**t that'd come out of his mouth without question. Now he was just bitter and broken.
He wanted to yell back something along the lines of "You ruined my life" to at vent to the man responsible for the entire mess but figured it wouldn't do any good. Tommy hadn't held a knife to his throat, he'd just filled his head with false hope of freedom. Freedom he now accepted to be unattainable. Instead the boy merely turned and watched him begin to walk off, silent at first. "S'no use sayin' sorreh now. S'not like it'll change anehthin." He wanted to leave it at that, but he soon felt the need to add one last comment in. "We both go' ou'selves inteh this shite." Tommy Christian Tommy paused and looked over his shoulder at Alec. He gives a s**t-eating smirk, "Yeah...but you wanna know the difference between you and me, Alec? I choose not to wallow in it," he says with all of the nonchalant carefree attitude he once possessed before his first change. And for the first time in a long time, a glimmer of his actual age shows through. "...oh, and for what it's worth: ******** you shark-boy, ******** you very much." He gives a chuckle and starts to walk back off again, enjoying the feeling of the sand between his mutated toes. He begins whistling, "Raindrops keep fallin' on my head." (Which is surprisingly easier for him than before he changed) Alec Derring Alec glared daggers at Tommy as he walked away, grinding his jagged teeth along eachother in growing aggitation. He wanted to lash back at him but for the life of him he couldn't spit out the words. So much tension, anxiety, anger was welling that his mind almost refused to cooperate. How could he say that s**t? How could he go through what they'd gone through, and now feel the least bit of pain, suffering, self-pity? It was like he'd planned it all along.
"Damn ye." The boy hissed and turned away, tears welling up and rolling down his grey cheeks as he inhaled a sharp, quivering breath. He never had the guts to stand up for himself even though his brain was screaming for justice. He'd go back to his leaf-bed and wait, hoping to be forgiven by some cruel b*****d in a lab coat. But he. He was supposed to be his friend. Together they were supposed to save themselves, save everyone from the pain. Had he seen what Alec had seen? He'd spoken of suffering but had he really seen the moment when a person's spirit breaks?
And now to see him walking away, whistling and brimming with sarcasm and selfish pride. He couldn't take it anymore. He want to go home, damn it and he unfortunately made the fatal mistake of turning back around.
In a second his heartbeat rose to a deafening thump in his eardrums, black eyes trained on the retreating form of the bat-man. With every step a new muscle tensed, an opaque lid normally concealed creeping over his line of vision until an invisible lure was the only thing drawing him in on a straight path. He could smell the tinge of blood of his clothes as the ocean breeze hit the dried fabric, only serving to push him harder towards his target. In a matter of seconds he'd spanned the distance between the two and now, his gaping jaws lead him to lash out in a violent attack on Tommy's left shoulder. This was no test bite. Tommy Christian Tommy could no longer consider Alec a friend, a friend would have realized the sincerity of his apology, realized the amount of effort it took for Tommy to admit it. And for Alec to throw it back in his face? Well, up came Tommy's defenses and he had done the only thing he could think of: make him hurt for those words. Of course, that's not always the smartest thing to do when dealing with a shark. Tommy large ears heard the quick patpatpatting of Alec's running feet too late. He only has enough time to spin his head around and see rows of teeth burrow into shoulder. "JESUS!" Is all he can get out before the pain spikes through his field of vision. Tommy stumbles foreward, but the physical training of the Academy has given him the leg strength to hold his ground. Almost without thinking, he uses his free hand to slam his palm as hard as he can into the tip of the shark's snout. Alec Derring Although Alec's facial structure meant that it was no longer an easy task to break his nose or face, the impact definetly hurt. However, this was not enough to fully dislodge him and as his head bent back from the blow, his jaws held a firm grip for longer than expected. As the pain was only momentary amongst the soup of adrenaline in his veins, and the youngster soon found himself recollecting himself for a moment before lunging again for an arm or his chest, his own arms grappling for a hold on the man.
He was ill with rage from the blood and the bitterness he felt towards Tommy, at that moment wanting nothing more than to tear him apart. This wasn't about food or territory, it was pure vehemence and for once he didn't consider or care about the consequences. Tommy Christian Tommy's eyes go wide as Alec tears off more than just flesh when he snaps his head back. Tommy's vision blurs for a second but quickly snaps back into focus as adrenaline hits his system. The bat-man's mind goes through a swift change during that small moment when Alec collects himself. Pain gets dulled by adrenaline which makes way for fury which is reasoned into a fine determination. Quick flashes of memory bubble to the surface and pop. His first boxing match, unarmed combat training, armbars, chokes, punches, blocks, reversals, and throws...but there was still Alec in there...somewhere. Jesus...he's snapped...I've gotta knock him out soon. My shoulder's wet with blood and I dunno how much is spurting out...It's already starting to feel numb though...if I don't end this quick, I won't be able to fend him off...and OHCRAP!But he's seen people like this before. Those that get so angry during a match that they think brute force will take down any obstacle. He knows how to deal with them...thank God for boxing. As Alec comes barreling toward him once more, this time Tommy is ready. He sidesteps to the right and uses his injured left arm to hook Alec's left. At the same time, he tries to tangle Alec's legs up with his own. If this all goes to plan, he will start popping right jabs into Alec's gills. Alec Derring Tommy plan had worked perfectly so far, the brash and clumsy movements of a shark on land made Alec easier to grab and hold. He immediately began trying to force his mind into perceiving a way out of this vulnerable position but he his thoughts were far too chaotic to be rendered any use in the situation. All he knew was that he needed to make Tommy hurt as much as possible.
The irish teen began to flail like mad, thrashing his entire upper body back and forth as he swung his spare right arm to try and assertain a grip. Unfortunately his rubbery feet would fail him as he was tripped, ending up in a face plant into the sandy beach below though this hardly slowed him down. In a moment he was thrashing again, deathrolling on land until his mouth could get an adequate gap to make another attack. Tommy Christian Tommy doesn't hesitate a moment when he sees shark-boy faceplant. He would immediately attempt to kneedrop him in the small of his back, right below the dorsal fin. He would then attempt to try and get a sleeper hold around Alec's neck, but at about this point his injuries have started to awaken. The bat-man's vision begins to blur due to the hefty amount of blood loss from his shoulder. It would become very difficult for him to actually lock the choke in place now as he can feel himself start weakening by the second. Alec Derring Alec let out a yelp as Tommy kneed him in an exposed area of his back, arching his spine to somehow absorb the pain while he still tried to fend off the grappling soldier. Blood now ran down the boy's face, leaking from his nostrils He thought he was done for when he felt the awkwardly shaped arm wrap around his throat and yet, he couldn't do anything about it.
His prayers were answered as he was shocked to find tht Tommy's grip was weakening before he could do any damage. He gladly took advantage of the opportunity and thrust his elbow backwards. Even if his relentless attack didn't connect, it would give him the room needed to make a sufficient counter-attack. Realizing this was a crucial moment, he put his best effort into shoving back on his dorsal fins to tear at Tommy's arm. Tommy Christian Tommy is becoming too delirious to do almost anything at the moment. Due to Tommy's lolling head, the elbow connects with the side of his face, causing Tommy to go with the momentum and just roll off of Alec. He seems on the verge of unconsciousness. Alec Derring By the time Tommy deleriously fell beside him, Alec was already capitalizing on the wounded man's bloodloss that only contributed to his overall weakened state. It didnt take him long to acquire a good angle for him to chomp down on the bat-man's arm, twisting his head to the side for use of the serated edges of his teeth.
Not a moment after the blood began to flow and the fluid touched Alec's tongue did he feel the first spark.
He only had a split second to remember the sensation before a full-blown shock was initiated, the preoccupied security monitors most likely delayed in their reaction to the beach brawl do to other circumstances unknown to the shark. Unlike past experiences however, the pain was intense and comparible to someone sticking his finger into a lightsocket, but it didn't end with a black void just yet. The shocking went on, long past what Alec could ever recall and the teen soon found himself hollering in suffering as he promptly detached himself from his prey and began thrashing wildly on his side.
The shocking lasted what seemed an eternity before finally he fell limp and unconscious by the drifting tide. Tommy Christian Tommy just lays there, staring up at the pretty blue sky with puffy clouds. Darkness begins creeping up on the edge of his vision...and then comes the pain. Curious at first, since he's just expecting a nice, relaxing coast into oblivion. Of course, the pain becomes much more familiar when he realizes what it's for. He wants to shout out "GODDAMNIT! If you'd wait ten seconds I'd pass out on my own!" But of course, can't. So he just rides it out until he coasts into obvlivion...if oblivion was a brick wall and he was going 60 mph.
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Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:11 pm
After the fight and Tommy was buzzed, he remains unconscious as he is collected and brought back to the laboratories for some emergency aid.
His wound is dressed, he's given antibiotics, and it is bandaged. While he's there, he's given a nourishment infusion, enough to keep him going for a while longer without having to eat. But it doesn't help the craving in his stomach or the feeling of hunger.
Tommy wakes up a day or so later, back where he fell unconscious, on the beach. He finds the bandage, and, another area of his body where he got a minor scrape, there is a small batman-themed bandaid.
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Sabin Duvert Vice Captain
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