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"Look here, Birdbitch," he said to Greer, crossing his arms. "You have a right to angry, but don't be angry at... him." Yeah, good going, Vasile. Pick a fight defending a guy you've never even seen before. But oh had Greer hit a sore spot. All the time people got angry at him- yelled at him fo rnot believeing. And how stupid that made him feel. And how.. used. "Blame that limey excuse for a doctor who runs the place! That b*****d almost gave me a concussion today!"

"Greer! You have every right to be angry! Hell, I'm tired of feeling guilty for saying that my problems matter too! But for God's sake direct your anger to the right party! This isn't Jamal's fault! This isn't Vasile's fault! Vasile's right! It's the Doctor's. And I know as well as anyone that he's untouchable as far as we can discern. But taking it out on your friends isn't the answer. It's letting him, and the damn Animal DNA that's coursing through your veins win." Ambrose barked. "I came dangerously close to getting into a fight with the Dude months ago. ANd I wasn't even as far 'developed' as either of us are now. But it scared the s**t out of me. And the last thing I want to see happening is us - ANY of us - giving into these impulses! The Greer I knew would never say things like this!"

And it was true. The Greer he knew was nothing like the woman before him. A small part of him, that Ambrose immediately felt guilty for even thinking, was almost glad that things hadn't cemented between them. No - that was horrible! This WASN'T her. This was what Moreau had done to her... he just hoped... desperately hoped... that animal instincts wouldn't take over Emelyn.... or... him.

Breathing, he turned back to Jamal, finally sensing that the tension might be begining to break. Jamal's critical eye was passing over his fur, his features... and the angered smell took on the acrid smell of fear as Jamal backed up.

But... with Jamal's fear and, furthermore, cry to send him back with the other 'freaks' in not so many words, Ambrose felt like he had been kicked.

Glancing backwards, but not moving, he took another steadying breath of his own. "Jamal..." He said more softly... "I'm sorry.... I ... I hate being the one to have to break this to people. I truly am. Just... just know that you're not alone here." Ambrose almost reached out to put a comforting hand on his back, but he paused, his hand frozen midway between them, looking at the contrast of fur and claws against the smooth skin of the fully human man before him.

He was a freak. Even if he was among others like him... there was no escaping that thought that became painfully obvious as he stood there, seeing the contrast between the two of them.

Joliette was close to running herself, "what happened to the 'friendly' people Ambrosse had said inhabited the village" she whispered to herself, these certainly didn't seem to be them. Least not at this vantage. Her eyes darted from person to person and she held her ground from running... "O-okay" she said nervously and stepped out of the bird-lady's way, she wouldn't have likely stood in the way even if the woman hadn't said anything to her

Jamal didn't know that Ambrose was behind him still or that the blonde boy was in a long-suffering internal battle as he compared his furry hands to Jamal's normal human flesh. His ears were ringing painfully as blood rushed out of his face, giving him an ashen complexion. The departure of Greer and Vasile were not noted at all...he was too busy falling to his knees there at the table side, his forehead pressing now against the cool edge of the table as his hands pulled across the table top until they clutched the same edge that propped his head up.

For once in his life, he felt broken. Even after he murdered the guy that got him in this mess, he never once felt like he wasn't invincible; he was clever enough to get out of that situation. But now he'd put himself into something he had no way out of.

He swallowed hard, feeling bile rise in his throat, and let his hands fall from their perch into his lap as he kneeled at the table side. They stayed there for several breaths before he suddenly took one hand and crossed it to the opposite shoulder, his fingertips feeling around until he felt a small bit of raised skin where he'd been injected at. Jamal touched it softly, sliding the finger tips across it a few times before starting to, for all purposes, claw madly at the site.

"Get it out....get it out," he moaned to himself in an increasingly crazed tone as his nails started to rub the spot raw. He couldn't handle this anymore.

Joliette nodded slowly at Ambrose's words, "Okay" she said meekly she sat down on the nearest chair her nerves severely rattled as it all started to sink in. She stared directly at the floor looking in shock as she heard Ambrose's words to Jamal

His eyes held Jamals' with an intensity for a few more moments before he released him from his grasp and took a few steps back.

He wasn't helping.... Like a slap in the face Ambrose realized that he couldn't help. Not right now. THe fear in Jamal's eyes that filled Ambrose's nose told him that... only worsening with Ambrose's touch.

He wanted so much to be the hero..

To help people through this at the very least if he couldn't help himself.

But he was too much of a freak to do so. He had hoped that, at the very least, he could still be himself - keep himself to his goals and be a good person despite the fur and fangs. But looking at the fear in the man's eyes as he was confronted with not only a monster, but his future... Ambrose's heart was wrenched into his stomach.

"I'm sorry..." He mouthed. "I'm so sorry!" He backpedaled, eyes stinging. He turned, and leaving his meal behind, fled back to his duplex.

Jamal wasn't even aware of the girl's presence anymore. He was a ******** goner. It was all over.

"I can't be herr..." he said out of the blue, getting to his feet in a very clumsy manner (he almost knocked his head into the table). "I can't do dis. I can't."

His head pounded severely as he weakly and slowly headed for the door. Jamal needed to go home.