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Here we go again.

"Can you at least take comfort that someone here is willing to listen? That someone believes you?"

Emerwyn leaned forward, if not to be closer to Billy, then to make her words more poignant.
"I do believe you."

Emerwyn couldn't stop the little smile from creeping into the corners of her mouth. The man was not used to receiving good will from anyone; that much was apparant.
"Yes. It is good. And I'm glad you understand that."
She started to get up slowly, sensing that it was about time to go.

This was hopeless. Completely hopeless. Somehow, the thought made Emerwyn want to laugh.
"Not done, Billy. Not nearly.
We'll see each other again. Always know that you can talk to me... and you can trust me."

Emerwyn watched him disappear, after remaining completely unphased by Billy's outburst.
He was so defensive. But, Emerwyn was convinced that Billy had appreciated what she'd done, and simply would not admit that. He needed to maintain his facade.
With another small bout of abrupt coughs, she walked away, to seek another meal before retiring.

Kikue had resorted to staying in her duplex instead of venturing back outside after her meeting with Billy. She'd eaten most of the food she had stashed in the fridge, although her sleeping hadn't improved at all. If anything it was getting worse. She continually woke up around dawn and dusk after sleeping through the afternoon. No matter what she did, she couldn't shake it.

She often felt restless after staying in the duplex for extended periods of time, like now, and it was during those moments that she felt she had to do something. She only had no idea what.

It was that same time again, very early still, where the sun's light was pale in the sky. The air was cool and misty. Kikue was awake, and she headed out her duplex door without a second thought, walking quickly into the jungle with no idea where she was going.

The close trees and vegetation of the jungle made her uncomfortable. After walking for some time, relief spread through her as she hit a clearing. Reflected in the still water of a lake was the remaining jungle. A lake. It was large and looked like it might be deep. Water wasn't Kikue's element, but she approached it slowly, breathing in deeply the open air. This felt good.

Kikue was surprised herself, catching herself from taking a quick step back to see what had just popped out of the water. What was even more shocking was...his voice. For this must be an Islander, because they were talking to her. That information had trouble registering when she saw how completely canine this man was.

Unlike Ambrose, he didn't look like he actually walked on two feet -- paws. Kikue would have sworn this hadn't been a person at all, for how much he looked like an animal. The canine head and muzzle, the legs and paws; he almost looked like he walked on all-fours. His wet fur clung to him like a wolf or dog's might.

The breath was caught in her throat. "H-Hello," she got out, wanting to kick herself for losing her composure. She should have known that someone would be out here. "I didn't mean to startle you," she added auickly, catching the distinct growl in his voice for the moment that it was there. "...I'm Kikue."

She paused again, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Her human body had yet to change; it probably went without saying that she was new here. She hardly knew what to say beyond that.

Kikue broke into a smile. Just like with Ambrose, she'd forgotten that Islanders who were already changed had probably seen her coming from a mile away. In this case, she had thought she'd surprised him...a little at least.

Pyroth...so this is who Ambrose meant. I probably should have guessed. He's much different looking than even Ambrose... And a coyote, not a wolf...

Kikue straightened up a bit, still smiling. "Actually, now that you mention it...I ran into an octopus yesterday. I think he threw up ink all over the floor at me. And Avery," she added, remembering that Billy seemed to have been aiming for Avery at the moment. I mustn't have gotten enough sleep to be talking about this so casually. "This is my first time back out of my duplex," Kikue said, meaning it. She took in a breath of the cool outside air and sighed.

Pausing, she decided to mention Ambrose. "Ambrose mentioned your name to me when I met him..." Stopping there, she let the thought hang. She couldn't think of what else to say now that she had started to say it.

Pulling on her yukata fabric, she sat down carefully on the shore of the lake. She might as well sit down for this, in case Billy was somehow in the lake somewhere...