Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hargun sat down in what seemed to be a safe spot in the sand that had just narrowly been out of the seething waves' reach. She circled around about, making a basin for her to sit in and whipped out her sketchbook. Scanning the pages for the last time she visited her world of imagination and turned to a page where she had sketched two people's heads; apparently that of Timothy and Aubrey's (whose had a tounge sticking out and x'ed eyes.) She didn't particularly mean to do it after she realized she had drawn aubrey fairly well, but it was quite important that she did make her look a bit goofy.. to relief her irritation.

Before she could seriously begin to draw, after she had a light contour of the ocean's horizon, she felt a trickle on her foot and she leaped from her spot, noticing she had been -very- wrong of where to sit. Hargun squirmed back as quickly as she could, hugging her sketchbook tight as she glared at the water as if it had pulled a very mean prank on her.

Ah yes.. it did tend to worry her that she almost considered the water to be human; and a bully at that. But she watched as the water retreated from the shore, and waited for it to come back in once more before she finally choose to sit down again, brusing off sand from her paper and shirt.

Ambrose had gathered his fencing equipment again and headed out towards the beach. He had never really found so much peace with the beach before coming here.... perhaps it was the fact that he was getting away from the sweltering oppressive heat of the jungle and the overbearing facade of the complex and he could be with his thoughts... or deal with people away from at least the feeling of being watched (even if he really was.)

He drug his barefeet through the sand, having abandoned the sandals altogether. After his discussion with Aubrey the other day, his heart had sunk back down to the pit of his stomach, and he was really feeling quite sorry for himself and everyone else stuck in the same miserable position.

His epee was over his shoulder and he glanced out at the now familiar stretch of sand, wishing that, despite the beauty, that it was the buildings of Amherst, Massachusetts instead.

However, once again, instead of seeing the empty beaches, he saw a lone figure sitting near the water. The bright orangey hair on the diminutive figure, however, was unfamiliar. another new subject...? Ambrose wondered, worried that he might have to break the bad news to yet another person.

Slowly, he shuffled in her general direction.

In a further effort to avoid having to talk to people, Greer had been spending vast amounts of time hunting butterflies. She wasn't actually a fan of butterflies, finding them fairly mundane compared to other more interesting bugs, so her current attention to them was a clear delaying tactic. On the plus side, it had begun to give her a grudging respect for the delicate creatures, as they were much harder to catch then her prefered class of subjects. Take her current quarry for example, a male Marpesia iole that had eluded her netting efforts for over an hour. She was so focused on it's capture that she didn't notice it had led her out of the jungle and on to the beach until it landed on Ambrose's head. Damn it.

"Ambrose, don't move..."

She flicked her net forward, hoping to scoop the insect off of it's perch without whacking her friend in the head. If she was lucky, she could grab the butterfly and flee before he tried to ask her about talking to Ms. Aubrey.

Hargun looked up for a second from her sketchbook and waved at Ambrose heading her way. She was quite wrapped up in her sketch of the ocean''s water even though it wouldnt sit still long enough for her to draw specific waves. So she just improvised and threw in one here and there as much as she could.

"Heya" she said turning back down to her paper to draw a few more waves. It wasn''t long until it dawned on her that the two were here for the artist community as well, then she jumped up and greeted them more thouroughly. "Sorry sorry.. couldn''t take my eyes off the paper." she grinned and waved at Greer as well; not exactly noticing her until now. She was so enthusiastic that she really did not pay any attention to Ambrose''s /specialness/ and simply outstretched her long but thin arm for a shake.

Ambrose observed the rather young girl who had turned an enthusiastic smile to him upon his approach. "No - It's fine, really!" He smiled, feeling a bit off-guard by the cheery new face and seeming obliviousness to the features that were so much at the forefront of his own mind.

He stood still, having heard Greer's warning, the conflict evident in his mind between greeting this new person and trying to put forth a sunny disposition first before lauding great warnings on her unlike with poor Julian, and freezing for whatever reason Greer called out to him. He hadn't turned to face her yet, but knowing her, there might be a great, bloodsucking monstrosity perched on him, and so logic leaned towards the latter as he stood still, swallowing nervously.
"Greer...?" He called back hesitantly, not turning around. "What.... is something on me??"

"Yes... I've got it though..." the net snapped forward, scooping up the butterfly neatly. Unfortunately, the plastic lip that connected netting to handle also smacked Ambrose in the head.

"Eep! Sorry about that!" Reeling her prey in she twisted it quickly, sealing her catch in a pouch of netting. It was only then she noticed the unfamilar girl, and quickly flashed a smile in her direction.

Hargun laughed for a good bit. She whiped a tear from her eye, which was quite usual when she laughed. "You guys must be here for those art scholarships right?" she asked after catching her breath. It seemed like the only explaination since thats what -she- was there for and Timothy as well, but they didn't look like they were busy doing artsy stuff.

"Hmm... you must be.. a fur-suitist?" she asked to Ambrose, then looked at Greer and raised an eyebrow, trying her best to identify what she would be, but couldn't quite think of anything. "Uhmm.. OH." she smacked her forehead. "Im so retarded... I don't even know who you guys are. Gah... stupid. Anyways.." she said and kind of straightened herself up a bit, to look more formal. Frankly, she looked goofy. "I'm Hargun Aikason... freehand drawer and well.. overall wierd person." she smiled and slumped again.

"OW!" Ambrose exclaimed, as a rogue net smacked up upside the back of his head. His hand went up, rubbing the quickly forming goose-egg knot ruefully as he looked back to see what was so important to get off of him as to leave a welt. when he saw a black with orange and blue butterfly fluttering futiely in the net his eyes narrowed and he gave Greer a look. "That was what was so important?" He looked rather indignant - not really that upset, more than he was questioning her priorities.

Shaking his head he turned to look at the new person, his eyebrows raising. She was certainly cheery... and her initial assumption nearly caused him to smile if it wasn't for the fact that he felt sorry for her at the same time. Of course, assuming it was a costume was much more likely than actually seeing him and assuming that those features were real. Meant she was rather level-headed at least. But that made breaking the news to her all the more difficult - both in convincing her and in bringing whatever reason she thought she was here crashing down around her. He gave a small smile, not quite able to summon the same enthusiasm that she had in his response. "Art scholarship? That's what you're here for?" He queried dumbly, looking to her sketch pad and the admittedly beautiful landscapes. "And I apologize as well... My name is Ambrose... Ambrose Maurlias..." He paused for a moment before extending a furred hand.
ANd.... well... He swallowed, debating whether he had the energy to dissapoint her at the moment. "Kind of..." He winced.

Flinching at his glare, she smiled meekly. "I have been tracking it for more than an hour now..." Pulling a jar out of her small backpack, she slipped the fluttering bit of color inside, broke down her net, and stowed everything back in the pack.

"I am sorry Ambrose. Other than that, how are you doing?"

She raised an eyebrow at Hargun and glanced at her friend, defering to him when it came to breaking the news to new people. "I'm Greer. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meetcha, Ambrose and Greer." she smiled sweetly. She raised an eyebrow at them as it appeared they were all exchanging eyebrow lifts. Hers said 'Uhm why are you both looking at me like Im not from this earth' She patted her sketchbook assuringly and held it out invitingly for the two of them to see the litered contents inside. "The /big man/ here is offering them so.. I could really use it to get into a college later on. But I've yet to see or hear from him. The only person I've bumped into that seems to work here is that Dr. Aubrey Lockheart person.."

She looked towards Greer. "Im guessing now that you collect bugs?" she said and pulled open a page in her sketchbook that had a few messy sketches of insects she had seen when entering the labs, riding in the jeep, and just throughout her recent time there. "Youre not... one of those types that lets them die, preserves them, then tacs them to a moldy wall are you?" she asked. That wasn't one of her favorite things; seeing dead and/or alive animals on display. Although frequent trips to the zoo for artistic reasons were her only exceptions to this rule.. nay law of hers. But she figured itd be best not to rant anyways.

Make friends with the others here. Itll make your stay alot more exciting. she thoguht to herself, and sat down in her 'nest' and began to draw again, idly muttering to herself every time she messed up on a piece of her work.

Ambrose shook his head and waved off Greer. "Don't worry about it" he tried to laugh it off - it really was rather amusing when thought about it. "I'm glad you got your butterfly. And... to be honest, a butterfly net knocking me on the head is preferable to a lot of the recent events" He winced, that probably meaning a lot more to her than Hargun.

"And Hargun, is it?" He smiled, saying the nae carefully. "Where are you from if you don't mind me asking. That's a rather unique name"

He couldn't help ut snicker at the query to Greer, knowing just how true that his assumption was. He looked over her sketchbook with lifted eyebrows and an approving "Hmm!" "Those are quite good, Hargun." He scratched his head, still rather uncomfortable. "SO... the scholarship... Dr. Moreau offered? For college credit..?" He tried to puzzle together the excuse she had been given, eying the familiar welt on her arm.

"Oh goodness me no!" She shook her head, smiling. "I'm an entomologist and besides, my walls are very clean"

Since Ambrose wasn't saying anything... upsetting... to this new girl, Greer kept her mouth shut about such things as well. She knew that she'd just break the news incorrectly anyway.

Her eyes grew big as she took int the notebook, and she had her own field notebook fished out of her pack and open in a flash. "Those are great! Much better than mine. I only learned for technical recording purposes."

Hargun smiled and rubbed her head blushing. "You think theyre great?" she asked and eyed them. An artist is always their worst critique and she often found herself disliking her pictures. Then she looked to Ambrose again, very confused.

"Dr. Moreau? Whose.. that? The guy that's in charge of the art community thing?" she asked and kinda shrugged. "I guess.. if thats him. Yea for college credit. I still have a little bit of highschool left ahead of me, but a good handful of artists are allowed to get slightly early starts." she nodded to herself excitedly. "Oh Im from Oregon. Well, born their but we move around from time to time so I just say Im from there. Eh.. dunno why my parent's named me it. It's strange but its a really cool name I think."

She never really did worry about her name. It was one of those things everyone tended to gte used to after a while. What really seemed to intrigue her was that the two -possibly- knew who the big man was. But Dr. Moreau didn't sound like an artist's name.. just didn't to her at least. Maybe he just goes by it because he's rich. she thought, then kind of shook it out of her mind.

Turning back to Greer Hargun smiled. "Well its good to hear that. I'm not the biggest fan of bugs, but I think they're important too.. just as much as any other larger or more powerful animal that walks on the earth. And I dunno why but when theyre on those walls theyre just.. ugh."

Ambrose swallowed. The last thing he wanted to do was perpetuate Moreau's lie, and make it sound like it was "okay". He wasn't going to let them beat him or anyone else that they snared into this prison. He... he just wished that someone else was better equipped to break the bad news. the last thing he needed was to be responsible, even indirectly, for someone to .... take it as badly as Julian.

"It is a rather fascinating name" Ambrose admitted. "Moreau...." He scratched the back of his head. "I.. I personally wouldn't call him an artist... though I suppose in a way he might be" his expression darkened. "Although the media that he ... shapes... isn't exactly the most conventional or acceptable ones."

Hearing her talk about school made his heart ache - for her and himself. "I.... I don't know what to tell you, Hargun... I ... You may not have been given the whole story I'm truly afraid. I'm not... sure how useful your stay will be on your college career." He winced. "It certainly isn't goign to be benefitting mine." He finished cryptically, trying to ease her into the subject.

Listening to the two of them talk, Greer unconsciously shook her head. They were in college. Why did the doctor have to run experiments on kids so young?

"Your drawings are wonderful. You're a very talented artist."

She smiled sadly. Poor thing.

"We all came here for different reasons."

Hargun seemed to notice the tid bit of negativity in the air. "So.. Dr. Moreau Im guessing isnt one of your favorite people?" she asked and smiled slightly shrugging. She hadnt met him nor heard a thing about him so she wouldnt know. She then gave Ambrose a sympathetic look. "Aw, comm'on Ambrose.. surely somethings going to benefit from this trip?" she said, kinda not knowing what to say honestly.

"Hmm.. so some of you arent here for the art thing?" she asked a little interested. "Then why did you come here?" she asked, trying to smile sweetly to brighten the mood back a little.

Ambrose shuffled his feet in the sand a bit. "Greer's right... she's was here supposedly competing for a research position collecting insect.... I was here for a medical study. The reason they told me seems to be the most accurate." Ambrose gritted his teeth.

"They told me they were paying 5 Grand for a two week study to test out some experimental therapy drugs. I arrived here a few days past two weeks ago. They're not letting me go. They're not letting any of us go." Ambrose said sternly, his eyes saying that he wasn't joking in the least.

"And I'm willing to bet you, that in a few weeks, Moreau won't be one of your favorite people either."

Putting her notebook away, she put a sympathetic hand on Ambrose's shoulder. "Strange medical things are happening here, and none of them are overly enjoyable. Tell me, what excuse did Ms. Aubrey give you for sticking a needle in your arm?"

As hard as she may have attempted, she couldnt exactly smile as much anymore, and just looked.. out there. She was still trying to tell herself they were here for the samereason she was until she shook her head out of realizing Greer's question.

"Oh.. uhm. Well she was acting wierd and stuff about changing us into animals. Obviously she was joking with her little growling act but eh.. she sounded more serious when she said we were getting injections for preventing diseases here on the island." she said, and looked at the apot on her arm, rubbing it just out of the mental feeling of it being pinched.

Ambrose boggled. "She said that? Turning you into animals?" Ambrose shook his head at the gall to pass off the truth as a joke like that. He swalowed, and scratched at the back of his neck again in his nervous habit. Perhaps this is how he had so easily struck a chord with her the night before.... and it made sense. He thought he had heard the helicopter bringing new arrivals.

"I... I'm afraid that what I'm about to tell you might sound... quite unbelievable, Miss Hargun.... and that it really, really isn't pleasant." He took a breath. "If you don't want to know, now is the time to say it."

Greer visibly flinched at Hargun's account of her introduction to the island. Ms. Aubrey was a ballsy little...something, wasn't she?

"She wasn't joking." she spoke quietly, letting the quality of the girl's hearing determine whether or not she heard her.

Not knowing what to say Hargun kinda stared blankly at them both. She didn't know if she was laughing, crying, smiling, or just trembling. Instead she just fell back and looked up at the sky and Ambrose and Greer. "So... this.. isnt an artist community... Dr Moreau isnt.. the kind wealthy person offering scholarships..." she kept muttering things. She felt as if she was in a book or at least reading one about herself.

But no way could it be true.. or.. could it? She took another good look at Ambrose and finally realized that he wasnt wearing parts of a fursuit. He was definately changing into something in-human. As for Greer, the seriousness of her voice just piled up to the thoughts that raced trhough Hargun's mind at the moment.

She continued.. "and.. and.. that wasnt a vaccine.. was it..?" The welt on her arm seemed to hurt but again only mentally. Hargun sat back up and stared at it. "I.. I think I should go back to my room now..." she said, slowly standing back up, her knees shaking, and her sketchbook firmly in her grasp.

"It.. it was nice meeting you two.." she choked, and stumbled up the beach, darting as quickly as she could to her duplex were she planned to remain for the rest of the afternoon.

"Hargun - Wait~!" He called futilely after her. Great.... just great.... His shoulders slumped and his eyes once more returned to the sand that was clinging to the fur on his feet. "Perfect. Bloody perfect. I... I wish I had more tact when it came to this. I... I know how she feels... and I wish someone had warned me before I woke up to ... this!" He gestured vaguely. "But... it's never goign to be easy, is it..?" He turned to Greer seriously.

"I... " he shook his head. "It hurts... to see all of us... seeing the lives that he's pulling us away from... "

He fell to a squat, his elbows resting on his knees. "I hope she'll be alright... not that I'm one to talk..." He looked back up to Greer. "How... how about yourself...? They haven't given you your second shot yet, have they? And... have you had any luck with the staff...? I... I've spoken a little to Aubrey myself..." He shook his head, his expression conveying his success. "She.... She's not immoral.... but... She doesn't run the Island either."

Gah! Greer smacked herself. She always broke everything!

"No, no more shots yet. And I haven't had a chance to- I mean, that is- Uh, I've been busy." She looked away, fidgeting with a shoulder strap. "So many butterflies to collect and catalog, you know! Speaking of, I should probably go - I haven't caught nearly as many today as I meant to."

She felt bad leaving him, but she couldn't bring herself to admit that she'd pruposely avoided seeking out Ms. Aubrey. That she was desperately afraid if she did, she'd end up part animal like Ambrose.

"Feel better, okay? Don't beat yourself up." Giving him a last half-hearted smile, she disappeared back into the jungle.

Ambrose stood stock-still. He was about to say something about given Lauren's situation it could probably be extrapolated that she would have adjusted better to being brought here than someone like he who was enjoying his life until Moreau's words caught him.

For some reason, he realized with a numb feeling, he had just assumed that the Doctor had an omniscient knowledge of his past. He thought back to the inquiry forms he had to fill out to become eligible for the 'study'. It asked questions like his family situation and income levels... they probably could have gotten his credit history.... see his complete support by his parents up to a year ago. It was no secret also that he no longer spoke with his parents and had not for over a year. It was also no secret that he had never worked. And while he loved Angelina from the bottom of his heart... there was no ring on her finger. He had checked "unmarried" on the box as opposed to "engaged". And he competed in a sport, but how would they have known his dreams...? Nearly every young college-bound man was in some sort of sport....

He wondered just how many forms Moreau had shuffled through before his name was picked from the pile. Hearing everyone's diverse background... it made sense why he was the only one from that avenue that was picked. If they HAD picked a dozen people for the study and they all disappeared, that would have raised a lot of eyebrows. How many different "methods" were they getting people? How many rejected forms were there, and how did they decide...?

Ambrose thought darkly about how eager he was to get into the study, so much so that he may have even fudged a few of the questions on the application - not outright lied, but made it very obvious how badly he needed the money and how he certainly wouldn't be missing out on anything for being gone for "two weeks".

He stared at the ground. He had been hand-picked. Bloody lovely. The point of the epee in his hand wavered as his grip loosened; his whole body felt somewhat slack as the feeling washed over him.

Not only was his life screwed... but he had signed it away; begged for it.

"I... see" Ambrose managed weakly, trying to hold the thin composure of control.

He raised his eyes back to the Doctor, not sure what else he could say to him now.

Finally he found some words. He didn't want to incur more of the man's anger who literally held his life in his hands, but on the flip side, he coudln't leave letting Moreau think that what he was doing was okay, or that Ambrose was happy with it.

"I just wish... you could see things from where we stand, Doctor. I.... am well aware of how focused you are on what you are doing, but if you are doign this to truly 'benefit humanity' then shouldn't you have any sort of sympathy for the humans involved in your project unwittingly? For the losses that all of us have given up for your project? Please.... if you have any measure of sympathy, at least consider - if not now than sometime, allowing us some sort of contact with our loved ones - no matter how many forms we have to sign, or promises of secrecy.... they deserve to know."

He pulled in a breath, turning his back. "And please.... try... to not bring people here who do have things to lose.... do... more research or something." He sighed, looking over the people remaining at the scene, a ghost of an apologetic smile to Hargun, and a respectful nod to The Dude, and started walking back to the village as he pondered his and all of their fates.

The rest of their lives.... that... was a hell of a long time.

"Really?" - the Dude grinned at Moreau with his milk mustache. "You mean if the island weren't here I'd die, of course? Well, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy there, Doc. Rescuing my worhtless a** and all. Providing my life with meaning. Thanks!" - he raised the glass he was holding in a toast.

"Hey, would you mind handling the intro speeches yourself, too, then. Cuz I ain't no psychologist, and everytime I have to break the news to another teenager you drag up here, I think I am compromising their sanity. Ya know? You, as a Harvard graduate and a very brilliant and distinguished scholar shoudl be better at it anyway. Or do you prefer not to look your subjects in the eyes?"

"Well, Mr. Carroll no one asked you to explain it to them. To be frank my primary goal is to get them to the village without having to restrain or sedate them. I'm sure you can appreciate that." Moreau sighed.

Moreau continued, "I have no interest in harming any of you, and have made attempts to make it as comfortable as possible. You don't have to like me, my methods, but atleast appreciate the fact that I have tried to not physically bring you harm. Outside of what is necessary for the study of course, and we are even working on that."

"Anyway, I believe Aubrey and I will be going now. Since I am unable to even enjoy a simple drink. Come Aubrey." Moreau stood up and began to walk off.

Yeah ... this a bit like talking to a wall there. The doctor clearly didn't see the problem with the situation at hand. How could he - he thought it up. It HAD to be flawless, if you put the ethics aspect aside.

The Dude grunted something non commital and whatched Moreau and Aubrey leave from the beach. As they were a bit further away he hollered after them:

"Thanks for the bar, Doc! I'm glad alcohol doesn't adversly affect your experiments. Otherwise it'd be pretty shitty here." - he raised his glass again then turned away to talk to Hargun who was watchign all these events unfolde with frightened, tear rimmed eyes.

Ambrose heard the interchange of words, and at the Doctor's leaving, plopped down in the sand with a huff, folding his arms over his knees and looking out over the sea. Despite everything, all the nastiness.... at least the ocean was still the same...

And somewhere touched the United states....


He sighed, and glanced over his shoulder back at the Dude and Hargun, feeling especially sorry for the young artist who really had her whole life ahead of her.

"I think I may need a drink" Ambrose finally spoke up again.

Hargun tried to sniffle back another round of tears to Ambrose and Moreau's conversation. But every time the Dude talked she almost grinned. Just the way he talked was helpful in keeping her from completely freaking..out.

She picked up her glass of water that Greer had given her and took a short and shaky gulp, then noticed the Dude comming over. Giving a weak smile, she lifted one of her hands from the glass and gave a slow, shaky wave, then looked over to Ambrose, and returned a sympathetic look.

Turning back to the Dude and managed to quietly say "Heya..."

"There ... there ..." - the Dude gently patted the sniffling girl on her back. "It's okey, sweetheart. It's all good. We are in it together and we'll make it thru somehow, right?"

He took another sip from his glass and swirled the ice cubes around in the glass. They clinked ever so faintly against each other.

"I'm the Dude here, and this is Ambrose." - he introduce himself then asked, still patting her on the back: "So what's your name? And what's your sketchbook all about, hmm?"

She couldnt help but laugh a bit at the Dude. This guy is some character. she thought and replied to him.

"I'm Hargun... and I know Ambrose.." she said looking over to him again. "Well its a pleasure to meet you Dude.." she said, not even bothering to ask him for his actual name.

"Oh.. this thing?" she said grabbing her sketchbook. "Now I really dont think its that important.. but you can look at it again." and lazily handed it over to the Dude.

A bespecaled face poked out from behind the wall of the bar, looking around. Greer had felt guilty for leaving her friends, and had doubled back.

"Is the Doctor gone?"

Ian had made himself as 'at home' as he could in his duplex, then decided to wander off exploring at the beach. He started across the sands before he saw other people off in the distance. Not being a very social person, Ian stopped walking and watched to see what the people were doing.

Glad that Hargun seemed to be getting ahold of herself and the new twist in her situation, he took the sketchbook and opened it up. There were faces of people in there, and trees, and the ocean - all lovely sketched out with a number 2 pencil. The girl had great skills, as far as Dude could tell. Not liek he knew much about art, but if he could recognise.

He chuckled at the doodle of Aubrey towards the end, with the "extra" embelishments that Hargun had added there.

"Nice, man! You can really draw! Hey, will you draw me something sometime?" - he asked cheerfully, to keep the girls spirit as high as he could.

At that moment Greer pocked her head back in and he waved her over to come sit down with them. After her, a strange creature skulked in and sat down at the very end bu itself. It took the Dude a bit of starring to realize that this was, in fact Pyroth. He had only seen him once before and it too a while to remember.

"Hi Pyroth" - he waved at the shy man.

"Sure I guess." she said and laughed when he passed the Aubrey page. She reminded herself to draw one of Moreau later.

Hargun noticed Greer andattempted to wave over to her too. But when she noticed Pyroth coming over she turned her head a bit.

ANOTHER thats already changed? she thought and turned to the Dude. "So uhm.. how many people are here and how many have gotten.. animalish other than youm Ambrose, and this guy..Pyroth you say?" she asked and then the odd question rushed to her mind.

What am -I- going to be?

Greer sat down gratefully next to the Dude, smiling at everyone tiredly. This is what came of collecting butterflies. They were pretty, but always got people into trouble. If she'd just had the sense to stay in her room until all this craziness went away...

"I need a drink." She blinked. Had she ever said that before?

Ian continued to observe the group of people. They appeared to be talking. That was alright, people did talk. But what about? Ian was curious and sidled closer, the sand whispering softly under his booted feet.

Soon he was close enough to make out voices. 'I need a drink' that was a female voice. But which one of the females was it?

Ian stayed where he was, and began to listen to the conversation in earnest. It wasn't that he was intending to be rude, but there was no other way to find out about the other people he was to be training with.

"Well, Hargun, I thought only me and Ambrose had changed thus far, but I guess Pyroth over there did, too. Hey Pyroth, come over here, don't be a stranger. None of us bite yet." - he grinned wide then turned to Greer

"Hey, glad to have you back! I got just the drink in mind for you. Hold on" - stepping behind the bar he went rummaging thru the cabinets and mixing something together. He didn't look professional at it AT ALL, and he almost spilled Creme de Menthe all over the counter top. But after a bit of fussing he put a mint green milky beverage in front of Greer in a martini glass.

"It's a grasshopper." - he informed her with a cheeky smile.

Then he looked behind Greer into the distance. There was a man walking on the beach towards them. And he didn't look familiar.

"Who's that?" - he asked noone in particullar, pointing at the man.

Hargun smiled nicely to Pyroth after watching the Dude rumage about behind the bar. She took a much longer gulp of her water then wiped her mouth and looked over to where the Dude was pointing.

"That looks like Timo- no... No thats not him.. That looks like a new arrival.." she said, now a bit curious. She figured with the amount of people here the doc wouldn't need a lot more.. but they just seemed to be appearing here and there one by one..

She took another drink of her water and set the glass down, then turned to a blank page in her sketchbook and simply started doodling everyone's faces until starting to work on a crude looking Doctor Moreau.

Greer giggled. She'd always liked grasshoppers. "Thanks!" Grabbing the glass she gulped down a third of the liquid before stopping to breathe, coughing a little and grinning a little madly. Maybe she could finally see what getting drunk was like!

Turning to look over her shoulder, she giggled a little again. "New people are just popping up all over."

Ian had been listening to the conversations wondering what those 'changes' everyone had been talking about were. Sure the guy he was able to identify as Dude had some major issues with some excess skin webbing on his arms, but that wasn't too unusual was it? Ian had seen things about babies born like that on the news. And the Pyroth guy had a bit more hair than one would normally see, but Ian had heard of those things too.

WHen he noticed that they saw him, he wandered a bit closer, unsure if they really wanted him to interrupt their conversation. "I'm Ian," he said hoping he wasn't being terribly rude.

The Dude raised an eyebrow when Greer downed the half the drink, but decided not to interfere. Poor Greer. All she ever wanted to do was chase butterflies ...

Before answering Pyroth's question the Dude dug around in the fridge and fished out two bottles of some fancy labelled beer. Amen for Moreau there, the Dude really had to give him some credit. He put one of the beers in front of Pyroth, and kept the other one for this new Ian guy. Both of them woudl probably need it.

"Now, how could I break this to you not too gently, Pyroth ... NO. This ain't temporary. This is forever. In fact, it's just the beginning. And theey are caused by the injections you have been receiving." - he patted Pyroth on the shoulder then waved Ian to come sit with them all, and put the other beer bottle in front of him.

"Hi Ian. I'm the Dude. Here ... you gonna need this one." - he tried to smile thru his whiskers. Noone was starting to cry on him yet ... thank heavens. Otherwise he'd have to send in Greer as the "woman" in, and she looked liek she'd rather ignore the situation all together ... Not that he blamed her.

"Hiya Ian." Hargun said and finished the last of her water, setting the glass over on the bar then gathering up her sketchbook. "Its been quite a day guys.. I need to go home and get to rest.. maybe eat something too. The trama here just wore me out so.." she said smiling slightly.

"Sorry to leave just when you guys got here, Pyroth and Ian. Im not offended by you guys being here.. no dont worry thats defiantely not it. Ill come back out later maybe.. I dunno." she said sighing. She really was a bit tired.. she noticed that sudden increase in drowsyness lately. She had also had urges to stay up late, just doing nothing. Often times she found herself falling to sleep at very early times in the morning.

With that she slowly walked up the beach she had been down almost every day now and probably for the rest of her life.

"Bye Hargun!" Greer said cheerily, enjoying the warm sensation in her belly. Alcohol felt neat. Listening to Pyroth, she nodded. "We're all gonna be animals someday, with all these injections going around. Real episode, uh epidemic, those are."

She gulped down more of her drink. She'd never had any alcohol before, and it was going right to her head. It certainly helped that her brain thought the current situation called for tipsyness, and so was using psychological effects to fill the gap until the alcohol hurried up and reacted with her biology.

"Dude, you don't think I'll be an insectivore, do you?" She frowned at her glass. "Cause I don't wanna eat bugs. They're my friends."

Ian grabbed the drink from the one called Dude and pondered it carefully. Legally in teh U.S he wasn't allowed to drink, but was he in the U.S. anymore, he didn't know. Of couse in the 11th century younger people could drink, and this may have something to make the training camp more authentic. Opening the bottle he took an experimental swallow. It wasn't horrible, but he would have to acquire a taste for it. One of the girls - Hargun she had been called - ran off to go to her duplex and Ian felt relieved, one of two girls were gone, and he had made sure to be as far as he could without being rude from the other. He took another mouthful and heard the remaining female speak 'We're all gonna be animals someday...'

Ian choked on his drink. What! he thought. have I landed on an island full of psychos?
"Could you repeat that?" he asked slowly when he had finished coughing. "The part about animals?"

"Nah, baby, I don't think that. Aubrey wouldn't do something so vial to you. Besides, even if the critter you become like bugs - you don't have to eat them, right? I mean, it's like in "Madagascar" with the lion. If your friends are your food, then you switch to sushi. Or ... ya know ... whatever you feel like eating instead." - he patted her on the head with his extra large hands then put a glass of water in front of her, for just in case.

Turning to Ian the Dude waved his flippered hand around and then pointed to his whiskers: "See these? I am not sure what the staff int he labs told you, but if you got to this island and received an injection - you are going to trun into an animal of some sort. Or kind of a mix between an animal and a human. They promised us we will still be able to speak, but I am not sure how they would know that. Anyway. Here - feel - this is real allright. By the by, I was not born chocolate brown, I'm Irish. I started looking Polynesian only a few days ago, becasue I am turnign into a sea lion. And I suppoe they have dark skin ..."

"Hee, hee, 'baby'." Greer chuckled, downing the last of her grasshopper and moving on to the water. Guh, that stuff didn't taste alcoholic! Oh well.

Waving to the departing Pyroth, she crossed her arms on the bar top and rested her head on them. Sighing, she looked morosly from Dude to the new guy, Ian, and back again. "D'you think I can still be an entomologist when I'm part animal, or will the fur and/or feathers get in the way?"

Ian leaned back and downed ther rest of his beer. "Tail..." he muttered. He thought about his home, his dreams, and the one person that suppoted those dreams. "James." his mind was in turmoil. He was going to turn into an animal, he would never see James, or another Ren Faire again. "No training camp...." Ian knew he wasn't making sense, but with that sudden news and the effect of the alcohal, nothing made sense anymore.
He looked at the round lump on his arm, where he had been given a vaccination for diseases. "The diseases...there are none?" Ian asked no one in particular. When Pyroth got up and left, Ian was startled from his stupor. Barons of old faced perils worse than this. Their brothers and family were killed everyday, or they were killed. That was the risks of living back then. Ian could handle that. This was just like 11th century Europe.

"The barons shall live to rule again," he whispered before grinning.

"Nope, no deadly rare diseases here thus far."

The new guys was quite obviously stunned by the news. After patting him on the shoulder, the Dude left Ian to mull over the information and instead turned over to Greer, who was getting quite trashed. Did he really make that strong of a grashopper? Maybe she just had no tolerance, the Dude decided. Heh, tha'ts funny. A drunk entomologist XD

"Hmmm ... that's a good question. Maybe you gonna get even better at catching bugs, ey? Maybe you'll get, like, mad monkey powers to climb any tree. Or ... or a sticky tongue, like a chameleon? That'd be handy, if one got over the gross factor" - he grinned wide.

"Cheer up, you haven't gotten anything growing from you yet. Got still plenty of tiems to chase butterflies. Are the butterflies on this isalnd any good, anyway?"

"Ooo, reflexes. Reflexes would be neat." She finished her water, blowing a stray hair out of her eyes. "I've never had those. I'm clumsy."

Greer smiled at the Dude, muzzily appreciating his attempts to make her feel better. Friends really were nice to have. She wished someone had told her that a long time ago, not that she would have listened.

"B'tterflies is- are, okay. Never been a pretty bug kind of girl though. Was collecting them to avoid talking to Aubrey like Ambrose asked me to, cause I'm bad with the talking and the people. I like phasmids, mostly."

Ian sat thinking and his grin faded. This was like the 11th century, but how often did barons turn into animals? But they did face worse, and turning into an animal is childs play compared to a war. He imagined himself as a baron returning home after a war, his non-existant family running to greet him.

But this was different, here he would have no one to wait for him. No one to give him favors when he rode off to joust. Mayhaps this was more like the pagans being hunted by the Christians. He could be a druid, chosen by the elders to represent the Horned One on Beltain. Yes, he was going to be the Horned One.

"With horns like that of the great stag and a wiseness that knows no bounds." Ian looked towards Dude and the female, wondering how long it would be before he became hairy, or reptillian or anything like that. He sighed, and spoke. "Dude, how many people are here?" How many people are becoming like the ancient gods, he though to himself, unable to properly put that in the question.

Yey, he scored a smile from a pretty girl! Greer was really cute when she was drunk, the Dude decided. In a clutzy geek kinda way. Happy to not have to talk about grave realities for a bit, he chatted away:

"Oh no, don't worry, I totally get the avoiding real world bit. I dive for fish instead of hunt for insects though. If there were any neat bugs down there, i'd bring you some. I'm not sure how they'd look there, though. Are shrimp insects? I can bring you some mantis shrimp if I catch one. Oh - and what are phasmids? Like - roaches or something?" - the name "phasmid" sounded to the Dude like something out of a SciFi movie. He imagined a pissed off roach with laser guns and grinned wide. Sounded like "Starship Troopers".

When Ian piped up from his sullen state the Dude answered: "I dunno. Let me count. In terms of girls we have Greer here, Hargun who left when you walked in, then Emelyn, Cassidy, Karma, Julianne, Thorn and Madison. In terms of guys we have Pyroth who just left, me, Ambrose, Matthew, Timothy and I think that's it? So, what, thirteen people? Fourteen with you."

"Crustaceans are underwater bugs, you know. Arthropods. And crabs are yummy." She closed her eyes, trying to remember something that might fit into this discussion. "In a really deep part of the oceans, I think they found a giant underwater pill bug. Y'know the tiny armored thingers that live in wood and roll up into balls when all scared? Them, but all huge and aqua-like."

Hearing Ian's horn comment, she turned to peer at him curiosly. Was he drunk too? He was talking funny. The Dude wasn't drunk, but he was being nice as usual so that was okay. Why had she never done this drinking thing?

"A phasmid is a stick insect. There are lots of kinds. Lots and lots. All really fun looking. Lacewings are the prettiest. Flying sticks!" She pulled off her jacket and tied it around her waist. Too hot!

Ian grimaced, were there really that many girls here? Hopefully he wouldn't have to interact with them much. What the Dude and Greer were talking about was pretty much going over Ian's head. European history he was good at, insects, he was not.

"How many..." Ian swallowed hard "how many other people besides you and Pyroth have begun to change?" He was curious, wondering how fast the changes occured, and how long it would be before he changed. Deep down, underneath his terror at becoming an animal was a wild exitement, an exitement akin to that of the Chosen on the eve of Beltain. Smothering that feeling underneath his common sense, Ian smiled grimly. "I don't suppose that this is actually a training camp is it?"

The Dude had no clue what a stick insect was, so he listened to Greer's description and nodded: "Ah ... okey. COOL. How do you catch one? Like - do they fly around 'n stuff?"

I mean she did say something about "lacewings". Must be abel to fly if it has wings ...

M'okey ... now Greer was "stripping". The Dude has seen this behaviour before. First the jacket comes off, then thye move onto t-shirts. Time to run damage control. The Dude turned around and filled another glass with water, then rummaged to see whether Moreau had supplied some beer nuts or something, but found only lime wedges. He put the glass of water in front to Greer and a quarter of lime in front of her.

"Here you go." - he grinned, hoping that this would be good enough to sober her up a little.

Turning back to Ian, the Dude said: "As far as I know just me and Ambrose, and, well, Pyroth. And no, this is not a training camp. WHy are you so antisocial, anyway? Come closer, neither me nor Greer bite. Want a drink other then beer?"

Greer grabbed the proffered glass and drained it, nodding. "The lacewing kind fly, yup, but not to well. Short bursts, mainly gliding. You just wait till they're down low enough and then grab 'em. They don't bite."

She blinked, feeling a little less fuzzy headed. Her mouth tasted funny. Huh.

She waved to Ian. "Come be social! If I can do it, anyone can."

It figured. While he was turning into an animal there was no training camp. But at least he might be able to have some fun. At the Dude's suggestion, Ian moved closer, still trying to keep a polite distance away from Greer. "Does anyone here spar?" he asked. "Real swords. Or perhaps quarterstaff. Some of the trees in that forest have good wood to make a quarterstaff with." for the first time, Ian had spoken to Greer as well as Dude. "Antisocial..I guess. People and I just never got along. According to James, I dream too much and people can't relate to that." Ian did not realize that the Dude and Greer had no clue who James was, and thus did not clarify when he said that.

Only three people had changed so far. Of 14 the Dude said were on the island. Ian frowned at this but refrained from making a comment on it. "I'll pass on the drink. Perhaps later."

"Go girl!" - the Dude grinned and climbed over the bar to sit down next to Greer. It was nice to see her out of her shell and having fun. Go Greer indeed! If Ambrose was all in pieces about the change, then Greer must be, too. But she hasn't complained or cried and when the Dude dragged her into Ambrose's room that first night, she was a real champ. The Dude decided to tell that to Greer.

"Hey, thank you for helping out with Ambrose that one time, Greer. I didn't know what to do there. I really didn't I just kinda wanted to run off and let somebody else handle this. So thanks, man. Errr .. I mean woman." - he scratched his head and grinned apologetically at the slip up.

His stomach made a loud growling sound and the Dude grinned even wider, then patted it: "Hey, I am not sure about you guys, but I am starving. So I think I'm gonna go back to the village and grab a bite to eat."

On his way out, he patted Ian on the shoulder: "You be nice to the lady, new guy. Or we beat you up!"

With that he was out the door.

Greer smiled back at the Dude, embarrased by the praise. "That's what friends are for, I'm told."

Waving as he retreated, cocked her head at Ian. "So what do you do?"

As the Dude left Ian suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He was stuck, alone with a woman, and there was no polite way to get out of this one. Shifting uneasily, he responded to her question, thinking his answer over carefully. He didn't want to sound like a moron.

"Before coming here, I worked as a clerk at a grocery store. Before that....I dropped out of high school - I wasn't stupid!" he added quickly "I was just always dreaming. I couldn't pay attention in class so I always failed. In the end I dropped out and got a job there. Then there was this add in the newspaper, about a training camp for medieval style fighting used at ren faires. I figured working as a knight at a ren faire was the closest thing to me dream so I quit my job and came here. Why are you here?" That was the most Ian had ever spoken to a female in his entire life. Was something wrong with him, or was he just craving the social acceptance he had never gotten before?

"I'm an entomologist. I study insects." She kicked her feet happily. She was talking to someone she didn't know! As much as she wanted to stay human, island life was really good for her social skills, in that she was actually developing some.

"Ren fair? I think I went to one of those once! With my dad." Her face fell for a moment at the mention of her father, but she quickly perked up again. "It was a lot of fun. I'm a fencer! A saberist. You do medieval sword fighting? Neat!"

"Study insects huh? Insects are okay, not want I'd want to study for the rest of my life." Ian perked up at her mention of the ren faire. That was something he could relate to, but was it worth talking to a female about? Yes, he decided. If it was a female he could talk to and not make a fool of himself, then he would.

"I went to one with my dad and older brother. A long time ago, before Marcus died - Marcus is my older brother." Unbidden his eyes watered a little bit not knowing how Marcus had been spying on him before his death. "This watch I wear, it was Marcus' It was the only part of his body untorn by the claws of the wild dogs. I was the only one who wanted it after that. I have worn it ever since - 10 years now." Ian also thought about her fencing comment. "I tried fencing once. It's a lot different from fighting with broadswords. A lot more quick, and smoother. I tried archery one too, but that didn't go too well." Ian grimaced in memory. "James says it was because I dreamed too much."

As Ian thought of James, a question arose in his mind. "Can we send letters from her. I want to send a letter to James. He wanted me to write if I arrived safely - I have a fear of flying so he thought to encourage me."

"You lost your brother? I'm sorry!" She frowned sympathetically. "I never had any siblings. Only child, me. Archery! Archery is great. I do that too. Lots of fun. Always wanted to try a crossbow, but Mum wouldn't let me. She thought I'd hurt something on the recoil, which knowing me I would. Skilled at getting hurt, me."

She brushed her hair back nervously, realizing she'd been babbling. That probably meant the alcohol was leaving her system. Damn. That meant she'd be getting embarrassed and bad with people soon. "Letters? Nope. We're completely cut off from the outside world." She blinked at him. "Who's James?"

"Marcus was a good kid. I was 10 when he died, he was 12. He had a great sense of humor, but like Mom, he disapproved of my constant dreaming." He smiled at Greer mentioning she was an only child. "You were spoiled as an only child weren't you? Marcus was spoiled being the eldest, but I had stuff pretty alright. I was never good at archery, I could hit anything besides what I was aiming at. I got kicked out of the club right away." Ian paused, not sure what he should say about her thinking she was skilled at getting hurt.

"Completely cut of...What about the helicopter? Surely that could deliver a letter. Just to let james know I'm safe. He doesn't need to know details." There was a desperation in Ian's voice, and in his next sentence it became clear as to why. "James is my younger brother. The only family that will talk to a failure like me."

"Spoiled? Dunno. Maybe. My dad and I were really close. Did everything together. He died when I was fifteen. Cancer." Why was she telling a practical stranger this? Goodness knew.

At Ian's panic she only shook her head. "James is loyal to Doctor Moreau, and the good Doctor says no outside communiques. He won't deliver any letter unless the Doctor says he should, which he won't." Realizing how callous she sounded, she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Ian looked like he was going to cry, and he was. He wanted to send his brother a letter, but evidently all he had now was the people on this island. "How come the doctor doesn't allow letters? He seemed pretty nice when he gave me the injection - though he did lie to me about that, and the reason I was here. He still seemed nice enough." Ian bowed his head. "I never spoke to the pilot - his name is James too? People with that name can't be too bad of a person." Ian was rambling some more and also displaying a lack of common sense by trustin almost everyone even if they lied to him.

Ian felt Greer's hand on his shoulder and flinched before just accepting that she was trying to give him comfort. "Don't be sorrry, none of this is your fault."

Noting the flinch, she withdrew her hand. Oops. "The Doctor is doing some very illegal experiments on all of us here - I know if I was in his shoes I wouldn't want news of it getting out to the rest of the world. The greatest armies of the world would come to shut him down. Probably kill or lock us up to be tested somewhere, too..."

Yeah, that was comforting. There, she was back to her own self, socially inept and crap with people. Wasn't that nice?

Ian felt Greer remove her hand and nodded. "I suppose so, but which country is this island a part of? This sort of experimentation might be legal in some places." Ian couldn't believe what he was saying. It sounded as if he was supporting the turning of people into animals. That inner part of himself he had been trying to suppress was becoming happier, and managing to seep past his barriers into his head. "Augh!" Ian groaned grabbing at his head tugging at some of his hair. He wasn't supposed to be happy about turning into an animal.

Remember the Horned One The little part of himself said. You want to be the Horned One.

Greer leaned back, worried by someone who assaulted himself. "Um, I dunno which country we're part of. You'd have to ask the Doctor, although we could be privately owned..."

He was odd, and she was back to her usual skittish self. Time to go. "Sorry Ian, but I should be going. I have a lot of cataloging to do, not to mention animalistic friends to check on. I'll... I'll see you later, okay?"

Smiling, she beat a retreat back home to her duplex. He seemed nice enough, but next time she spent time with Ian she planned to have either the Dude or Ambrose along. Fencing wasn't very useful for self defense.

"Farewell," he said mournfully. What was he supposed to be doing now. Sighing, he went and grabbed another beer. Opening it he headed out along the beach back in the general direction of the village, taking his time to ponder his new home.

Greer had gone to bed early, her head still pained from the grasshopper she'd drank earlier that day. She was the biological definition of a lightweight, after all. She fell soundly asleep and stayed that way, grateful for the rest. There were too many strange and frightening things to contemplate these days, and chasing butterflies only filled up so many waking hours. Unconciousness was an absolute gift most nights. Tonight, however, brought nothing but terror.

She dreamed of the night her father died. He'd been in the hospital for months, the doctors always looking gray and sad when she came to visit and refusing to tell her anything. He had cancer, she knew, and it was eating away at his heart. Such a medical cliche. She would have laughed at the B movie quality of it all, if it hadn't been real. She'd spent entire weeks at the hospital by his side, leaving only when the nurses chased her out or her mother tried to make her go to school. In the end though, both factions had given up trying to separate them, and Greer had lived for two weeks watching her father slowly die. He hadn't wanted her to, but she would leave when he told her to. It was the only time she'd ever disobeyed him, and to this day she wasn't sure if she regretted it or not. It had been horrible to watch as the life leeched out of him, but she'd been there to the very end, the epitome of faithful. Not even her mother could boast that. Only Greer had seen him die.

Michael Cassenwari had been a big man before the cancer had eaten him from the inside, and this largeness had always made his only child feel safe in his presence. When she came to sit by his bed side on that final day, she'd nearly apologized for coming into the wrong room before he called her name. He was a shrunken wraith beneath the heavy hospital blankets, making her seem sturdy and muscle bound in comparison. Somehow his voice never changed, and she winced when he spoke as it seemed dangerously loud for his body to try and produce. Sitting in the chair that had become hers long ago, she'd smiled at the still-breathing mummifed remains of the man who'd been her father.

"How are you feeling Papa?"

"Oh, I can't complain."

He'd always said that, always strong even though he was the one dying and in pain. The tears had welled up of their own accord, and he had tried to lift a hand to wipe them off her cheeks but didn't have the strength. Nuzzling his hand, she'd laid her head on the bed, tired and empty. Her father had made soothing noises, and she'd slept for hours.

Greer awoke from a dreamless sleep, frightened and alert. Her father's eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow - he was asleep and for once seemed not to be in pain. She wanted to be calm and happy, but something had woken her. Placing a gentle kiss on her father's cheek, she spoke softly. "Papa?"

"I love you, little bird."

The words were soft, said in a whispered voice her father had never had. Alarmed, she grasped his hand. "Papa?"

"Take care of Candace."

Her cheeks were wet and it was hard to see. "Papa!"

He smiled then, eyes still closed. The heart moniter skipped a beep, switching over to the dead whine. "Papa! Papa, no! Papa!"

Greer sobbed, shaking her father's hand, willing him back to life. Just one more moment, one more word! Please, please, Papa, don't leave me! I'm scared, I'm frightened, and I can't face the world alone-

A nurse came in, grabbed her arm, and jabbed a giant needle into it. Greer screamed.

Sitting bolt upright in bed, she gasped for air and scrabbled at her arm, looking for the injection point. There. Right were the dream nurse had stabbed her. But she'd never been injected in that dream before- no, no! Scrambling out of bed, her legs got tangled in the blankets and she fell, kicking and whimpering until she
was free. Standing, Greer ran to the bathroom and stared in the mirror. What next?

You feel a tingling shoot across your body as you stare at the mirror. Your skin begins to itch as well as your head. it feels like sections of your skin are on fire. You feel like something is pushing out of your skin. You realize something is happening with your eyes, things look funny and your head starts to hurt. Your lips begin to feel dry as well.

As you watch, feathers begin to push out of your skin, long thin strands that seem to expand on contact with air. They grow from below your hair all the way down your back. You feel them push out from your elbows and your hands. But most of all they seem to cover yoru entire back down to where your a** seems to have sprouted some particurally prominant ones. Even as your watching all this your vision behind your glasses gets odd as your eyes repair themselves and get sharper than they were before. Even sharper than most humans. Your legs itch as you feel the skin dry and harden turning yellow around the backsides, not covering the entire thing.

Another thing you notice, your hungry, and your craving... meat. More than you ever have before as your tastes turn almost completely carnivorious. You notice whoever was here seems to have left, near your door a pair of glasses made from just glass that look like your old ones.

Greer tore off her glasses instinctively, desperately needing to see what was happening to her. Her skin was on fire, sprouting feathers and hardening wherever it cared to. She ran a frightened hand through her hair, squeaking in alarm when she felt feathers underneath her locks. She was turning into a bird? Who turned into a bird?

Her worries about becoming an insectivore were but to rest as her stomach cried out for meat, the very thought of eating such a meal making her ill. She needed food, more than she ever had before, but didn't for the life of her know how she was going to manage to choke down any. Bird of prey then. Why not a wren? A bluejay? She ate seeds all the time-

The hunger pains doubled her over, and she forced herself out of the bathroom and to the front door. There she found a package, which she tore open to reveal a pair of glasses identical to her own. Frowning, she jammed them on, suprised to find they didn't interfere with her vision. Good. Fine. Nice illusion. Her skin pulled and ached, but she needed food. Wobbly and stiff, Greer got herself out of her duplex and somehow down to the cafeteria without falling. There she grabbed the first meat she saw, grateful to the cook that it was welldone and not bloody at all. Meat was bad enough, but bleeding meat? She shuddered, eyeing her meal. She appreciated the clarity of vision, but not at that moment...

Closing her eyes, she picked up the meat with stiff hands and tore into it, gulping it down too fast to taste. When belly was finally full she staggered back to her duplex, inordinately glad no one had been there to see her. This was not one of her better days. Kicking off her shoes, Greer pulled the blankets over her head and wished for a dreamless sleep. This time, she got it.

To whom it may concern,

I would truly appreciate access to a book on birds of prey, in hopes I may come to understand what I am becoming. Thank you.

~Greer C.

Oh sweet! Kiss from a lovely maiden ^_^ He didn't deserve such love but grinned wide anyway. "Any day Greer! Thanks to you, too" - he pointed to his cheek. He he he he he ... watching Greer leave, he was dangling his legs and admiring the tail feathers. Eventually he'd persuade her to shake them. A few more Skunk Funks ...

Hargun had been having a dreadfully hard time getting to sleep at night lately, her head absolutely not wanting to shut down. She was very exhausted and had a rather fatigued look, her eyes had formed tiny purple rings and she was constantly yawning. Other than that though, she was somehow able to maintain a generally perky mood throughout the days.

Today she decided to get out and chat with her fellow islanders, and hopefully get a bite to eat.. her tummy roaring at her. She left her duplex miracously without her sketchbook and headed very slowly towards the cafeteria. As soon as she entered she didnt even bother to look for a place to sit, until after gathering up a large a** plate of food, and carrying it witha lazy slump. She looked around and spotted a rather unfamiliar face sitting alone at a table.

Yawning, she attempted to wave with one hand, almost dropping her tray. "Heya! Mind... *yawn* if I sit with you?" she asked and tried to lean against the table next to her.

Greer was on a meat mission, a new, icky tasting thing she'd had to get used to since the second injection had made her a carnivore. Striding into the cafeteria full of purpose, she went straight to the food and grabbed two steaks before even thinking to look around for people. Spying the artist Hargun sitting next to someone she didn't know, Greer grinned and sat down at the table.

"Hello Hargun! How are you?"

Before Hargun sat next to Amaya she found the voice of someone she DID recognize, and apon turning to greet Greer.. "Hey Greer- HOLY s**t!" she said, and dropped her plate... luckily on the table.

Rushing to sit down, Hargun scooted up next to the table and got up in Greer's face, staring.. and poking at the sprouted feathers. "Wha... wha.. what the heck happened to you?" she gasped and sat back, looking to Amya and smiled awkwardly then back to Greer. Her appearance kinda woke Hargun up a bit. Picking up one of her rolls she crammed the thing in her mouth without chewing, so suprised by her friend's changes.

Startled, Greer sat perfectly still for Hargun's inspection, smiling shakily when it was over. Spending all her time with Ambrose and the Dude meant she'd somewhat forgotten about how physical her changes were. Oops.

"I'm sorry I startled you Hargun." Gesturing to her feathers, yellowing legs, and meat-filled plate she shrugged. "I got my second injection."

Hargun started joking on her roll.. it was obviously going to happen. Finally coughing it back up she stared at Greer with somewhat frightened eyes. "SECOND injection?" She exclaimed. She figured the shot would be a one time thing and wouldnt require a lot of revisiting with Moreau or any of the strange lab assistants here, but if a second injection was comming, it meant she was gonna get one too. Shaking, she tried to eat a spoonfull of mashed taters. "Wow.. you.. youve really changed just from that second shot huh?" attempting to swallow some she started up again. "Oh my god Greer.. what ARE you changing into.. and.. and what else is going to happen..?" she eyed the two giant steaks.

Hargun sighed and yawned at the same time, and put her fork down then turned her head to Amaya. After getting over Greer a second thought shot in her head. I bet she doesnt know.. she MUST be new. MUST be.. she thought and began to furiously attack her food, trying to avoid having to speak further on the subject while they were on it.. about transforming and all.

His fierce red tomcat in tow, the Dude walked into the cafeteria, cigarette in his mouth, hands in his pockets - ya know, the works. He saw Greer, the redheaded girl who drew and whose name he was currently forgetting and a new teenager. This one had dark haired and the cutest nose on the island. So he grinned and walked up to the girls

"Hello, ladies" - he nodded and waved his flipper hand in a greeting.

Meanwhile, Captain Morgan sniffed out the steak that Greer had aquired and decided that htis woman was now his new best friend.

Greer sighed, gulping down half a steak to get her strength up for the lecture ahead. "This entire island is set aside for experiments being conducted on us by our host, Doctor Moreau. The first injection you recieve seems to get your body ready to react to the ones that follow. We're all turning into different animals - my two friends are becoming a wolf and a sea lion, the woman who lives downstairs from me is becoming reptilian, a fellow I met recently is going towards skunk, and I'm becoming a bird of prey, although I'm not entirely sure what species yet. Each injection will change us a little more until... until the Doctor decides we're done, I suppose. Most of the second injections happen while you're sleeping, if that makes you feel any better. No being held down and tortured per se."

Stopping to eat, the other half of her first steak disappeared. THe faster she ate, the less she had to taste.

Turning to the Dude, she blushed a little, smiling and giving Captain Morgan a halting pat. "Hi Dude!"

Hargun rubbed her tired eyes, now a lot more calmed down.. mustve been the overall shock of seeing her friend look a whole lot different.

"Well I knew we were all changing but.. yea like I said, didnt figure it would be such a long strenuous prosses.. but oh well." noticing the Dude Hargun tried to smile. "Hey Dude!" she didnt pay much attention to Capt. Morgan though.. she didnt like cats. Not much at all.

Hmm.. in my sleep huh.. yea right.. LIKE ILL EVER GET TO SLEEP. she thought to herself, and started chewing at a greasy looking burger she picked up. Burgers, taters, and a roll. What an interesting appetite.

After she took a bite she glanced at Amaya again. "Well, cant say its your fault.. he got me too... crushed my hopes and dreams.. took everything away from me.. BUT HEY, Im here alive and /somewhat/ happy right..?" she asked uneasily.

With a plate bearing a single, if large, rare steak, and a glass of lukewarm iced tea, Cassidy made her way into the dining hall of the cafeteria. Meals had just been so boring, lately.

Fortunately, she'd picked up a little cup of chocolate pudding. She could deal with that.

There seemed to be a lot of people, today, and some of them she didn't even know. Yikes. Cassidy hesitated, her tongue flickering, then approached the table.

"Um. Can I join you?"

The Dude pulled up a chair and sat down by Greer, stretching out his legs. He was not wearing shoes and the oversized feet flopped strangely in the air when he moved.

"Hey Greer" - he winked at her, then grinned charmingly at the blush. Did Greer actually have a thing for him? Nah ... it had to have been the alcohol ...

Turning to Amaya who had just gotten the low down, he listened to her and Hargun. The new teenager seemed to be taking it ... alright. Which was great! Maybe that is why Moreau seemed to be concentrating on teenagers nowdays - they seemed to have less to loose and tolerated the news much better. He let them talk, not wanting to add fuel to the barely smoldering fire.

Captain Morgan tolerated a pat or two from Greer and Amaya and jumped onto the table to investigate the steak business. Unfortunately, by the time he got that far, Greer had eaten it all. Greedy! Disgruntled, he stretched out on the table in front of everybody and gave the humans an evil eye, hoping that would frighten them into feeding him something good.

When Cassidy showed up, the Dude waved at her as well: "Yo! Sure thing." With his right hand he pulled up another chair from a neighboring table.

Using her hunger as an ecuse to hide her reaction to the wink, Greer leapt up, got another steak, and sat back down again. Chopping a fourth of it up into small pieces, she piled them on the table in front of the minature tiger, hoping appeasement would keep him from thinking about eating her cricket again.

"Hello Cassidy! How are you?" She smiled at the newly arrive, partially changed woman, glad to have yet another partial ally. Hargun and Amaya's reactions had been rather... unsettling.

Hargun snorted. Too old? she shouted in her head, but just maintained a straight face.

"Ugh.. yea. We've complained about that factor of his actions a lot.. or I have at least. Dont really doubt anyone else here hasnt." she said and shook her head then looked to Cassidy. Because she hadnt met her before the scales and tounge didnt exactly cause her to jump... she was starting to feel guilty for inspecting Greer.. just natural of her to be interested in whats happening to her friends. She waved slightly to the blonde-haired girl and took another bite of her sandwhich, unable to swallow from a chain of yawns following.

"Oh my WORD. Why am I so freaking tired!" she accidentally thought outloud, then glanced around and went back to her food, wiping her face with her napkin and fiddling around the leftovers on the plate with her fork while watching Greer and Capt. Morgan.

Cassidy was already carefully cutting her steak up into bite-sized peieces; she couldn't look up. There was too much shock in the eyes of these two new people--at least, that's what it seemed like to her.

"I miss my family, and my books, and snow. And ice cream." She sighed. "But, really. I don't know what they told you, but I came here for a job. At a hotel. And I was dumb, and believed them, and even when it turned out that there was no hotel, it was all just a... a... a misunderstanding," her mouth twisted, "I let them inject me and settled in just fine."

She took a piece of meat on her fork, popped it in her mouth, chewed two or three times and swallowed it mostly whole. Stupid new teeth.

When Greer arrived with the steaks the Captain was pleased. Finally, a human who knew how to treat him with respect. Greer was added to the very short list of tolerable humans along with the Dude (sometimes) and the lunch lady (oh my love!). He chowed down, growling threateningly to himself as he gorged on meat.

Meanwhile, the Dude was distracted listening to Amaya. Hey, go girl. Now that was a very fatalistic take on the situation. That Moreau guy sure knew whom to pick for his projects. Well, at least he was getting better at it, the Dude corrected himself, remembering Ambrose. Poor guy, he seemed to be the one most screwed over by the situation ... him and Vasile ... but somehow, the Dude wasn't feeling all too sorry for the silver screen siren.

"Well, Amaya, he fed all of us various lies, some better and some worse. It's not hard to lie well to people if you know which buttons to push. And the folks from Feral Labs did their homework on all of us. Well, except me and Emelyn. We are kinda freebies on this island - shipwrecked after a storm. And ya know, one should never give up hope. Life has a way of turning out alright in the end. And ya know ... one adjusts."

He looked at his flippers and smiled back at Amaya: "Like, I get to swim so much better now, ya know? I"m the Dude by the by. That's what people call me. And I am turning into a sea lion" - he introduced himself.

Greer gave Cassidy a sympathetic look and them smiled at the table. "I thought I was coming to be a field entomologist. This was not true, but I've managed to become my own one-woman bug studying team on the island anyway, so it's worked out."

Swallowing the last of her steak, she frowned at the feathers on her hands, speaking to no one in particular. "You don't think my hands will become wings, do you? Cause that would be bad."

Hargun looked nervous to what Greer said. What if she too was turning into a bird or something that wouldnt have the use of hands? Then how could she draw? No way.. Moreau's mean but as Lauren said hes somewhat a nice guy.. he wouldnt have given me something winged. Wait.. unless Aubrey.. did... she thought nervously and shook her head.

She sat back and slid her tray foward. She didnt finish everything on there like she thought she would. Looking to Amaya she shrugged. "Id LIKE to know.. desprately. " sighing she smiled slightly to everyone. They were turning out to be pretty interesting creatures, but who knew if shed be the first freaky or odd-like animal.

"I just hope I dont turn into something that will cause conflict among us all." drifting off a bit she laughed to herself. "Maybe Im turning into a sloth.. hence my exhaustion.."

"I haven't asked." Cassidy made a face. "Some sort of snake. I dunno what else has a forked tongue, anyway."

She stared down into her supper. "I really, really, really hate snakes. I wonder if I'm going to be poisonous. And... wings! I don't even know what's going to happen to my arms and legs."

She grimaced. How would she hold up her books?

The Dude turned to Greer: "Hm ... that's a good question. My arms are turning into flippers, just like a sea lion's but it look like I get to keep my thumb and index finger. Maybe if your amrs turn into wings you'll get to keep some of the digets as well?"

She nodded at her friend. "I hope you're right."

Turning to the artist, she spoke. "You know Hargun, you could just be sliding towards nocturnal. Plenty of animals don't come out during the day." Giving the girl a smile and a pat on the hand, Greer stood and bussed her tray. Returning to the table to give them all a smile, the Captain a pat, and the Dude a shy wink.

"Bye all!" She called, striding back to her room to gear up for another exciting day chasing bugs. Despite the feathers, this was the life.