[OFFICIAL] The Bonfire, Open to 1st-3rd Waves

((Fifth day, nightfall))

Ice was shivering despite the roaring fire in front of her. Her stark blue eyes were wide but glazed over, staring into the flames, blinking only when they flared bright enough to hurt.

This was bound to happen at some point, She told herself. Don't get attached. That's what they told you all along, stupid. Don't get attached.

She had vastly underestimated the power of a human face. Her mind had been filled with the images of monsters, strange and pitiful creatures, fit for death if nothing else. Now, closing her eyes, all she could see was this girl-- this stupid, immature little girl-- and it tore into her heart and head.

It wasn't right.

She was just a child.

Groaning, she dropped her face into her hands, fingers gripping the bandanna on her head. The subjects would start arriving soon... could she do this? Could she put on her usual act?

Well, she'd find out soon enough.

Gregory was the first subject to arrive. It seemed unusual, given he didn't look too grief-stricken; his expression was blank, neutral. Perhaps he was dealing with it some other way.

Regardless, there he was, sauntering onto the scene in his usual unhurried gait, hands stuffed in his pockets. The warm glow of the fire lit his curious eyes and cast shades of red and orange across his face as he approached the tiny figure of Ice. ...'Tiny'. She seemed even smaller now, silhouetted against the flames.

Finally, he stopped, now a pace or two distant from the girl's turned back. His expression flickered a moment; then, after clearing his throat to announce his presence, he reached out a hand and placed a heavy palm on one of her shoulders. (The shoulder he'd grabbed before? He couldn't recall.)

"Hey, kid. How's it hanging?"

Mira's sky-blue eyes, usually bright with her gentle spirit, seemed glassy and hollow as she stepped over to the fire. Why did this have to happen? She was just starting to feel secure, and now... her closest companion aside from her brother had just died. Any one of them could die along with her; the harsh reality struck her over and over again. She began to shiver, but it wasn't because of the cold.

She just stood facing the fire, staring into the flames. The reflection of the blaze made her eyes seem even more distant. She didn't even say a word of greeting to the others, which she would've done if she were in a healthy state of mind. She couldn't even bring herself to cry; the shock was that heavy. Ever since she had heard the announcement, she had struggled to believe it.

Now, the reality was pressing down hard on her chest and suffocating her. She let out a choked sob as the tears threatened to spill.

The third to arrive, was G. Although, he wasn't exactly sure why he had come to the bonfire either. He hadn't known Rennie all that well, and most certainly had no bonds with her, that would have obligated him to arrive. However, maybe it was the fact that instead of the young girl, G could've been the one to have complications from the operation and this bonfire might have been for him.

Well, whatever the reason was - he was here now, and as he got closer to the beach he could also start to feel the heat of the fire. He looked at the three people that were there before him, and simply made a small nod as a greeting. He walked closer to the bonfire, and after a second or two sat down onto the sand. After another short moment, he dared to clear his throat and say; "Poor, kid."

The first person from the second wave to arive was Luke. He hadn't known this girl, but he still felt horrible about what had happened. A slight fear crept into his heart; if this had happened once, it could easily happen again. It was easy for him to spot his sister there already; the white down that now covered her whole body glimmered in the light of the fire.

He stood right beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder. He knew how upset she must have been, and was attempting to offer even a little bit of comfort for her. He became curious when she didn't react; usually she was very sensitive about being touched, and would either shy away or look to see who it was. That was when he noticed her eyes. The hollowness of them frightened him a bit; she must have been in agony.

Anger surged through his body, and he did his best to control it. Why couldn't he provide aid for her when she needed it the most?

Why did I even come here? Cole's face was expressionless except for the sadness in her eyes. She didn't even know the girl who died. She felt sympathetic for those who did, but come to think of it, she was no good at consoling people either. She didn't know how to act around people in a situation like this. She supposed it was really only courtesy that brought her here tonight- some little gesture of respect for the girl who would never know of it.

Admittedly, when the announcement came on that morning, it didn't really affect Cole that much- it was nothing but shock value, really. She didn't know the girl. She didn't question the morality of the experiment- casualties happened, after all. It was an accident. Her only concern was that such accidents might happen again. But what could be done about it? Besides, other experiments must have worked- she hadn't heard anything further about the other three subjects who had been experimented on already. This rationalization had been enough to comfort her earlier. But now, the reality of things- that a young girl had died was beginning to sink in, and her reasoning could not protect Cole from that sick feeling in her stomach.

Dead... Who would have thought?

And so she stood silently,a safe distance from everyone else, hands stuffed in her pockets, staring blankly into the fire.

Ice tensed a bit at Malcolm's touch; she pulled her head out of her hands and looked up sharply at him, as if about to snap, but she apparently held herself back at the last moment. Even with the other subjects trudging towards them in the sand, she couldn't berate him like she usually would. Not after his sudden change in demeanor... not at the impromptu funeral of a young girl.

All she could manage was an irritated and empty "Don't call me kid".

Every additional subject to assemble sent another stab of pain into her heart and stomach. Mira, her roommate. G, her operation partner. Luke and Cole, two people that didn't even know her and yet came to give their respects.

She nodded slowly at G's sudden comment.

"She had a lot going for her." Her defeated tone may have surprised some; perhaps it was expected by others. Either way, her facade was apparently weak tonight, her usual fire sputtering out under the heavy air of the occasion.

Gregory smiled grimly at her weak retort and gave her a shoulder a slight--and surprisingly gentle--squeeze. He lingered there a moment, standing slightly too close while contemplating the ambient crackling of the fire; then the others trickled in and his hand slid down and away as he backed from the scientist and began to pace, nodding to the subjects he passed by.

Except for G. The expression there wasn't malicious, but his mouth was set in a quirky, ironic half-smirk. "Looks like your prediction came true," he muttered as he approached, voice low. It almost sounded like a joke, the way the said it. But then his face slipped back into neutral and he continued his circuit, prowling around the new arrivals with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Mike, like many of the others, had zero clue who this girl was. She'd been called into the operating room the morning after his arrival, and considering how he'd attempted to avoid everyone until the cafeteria fiasco, he'd barely had a chance to get a glimpse of her.

But the knowledge that someone had already died from these experiments weighed heavily on his mind. Sure, he'd had roommates die before, and he'd faced that looming threat for the past five years of his life, but... Well, now it seemed so much closer, so much more personal.

Mike walked a pace or two behind Cole, following her closely out onto the sand and toward the gathering around the conical pile of burning logs.

A pyre. Appropriate.

His pale face peered nervously around at his fellow subjects and prisoners. The awareness that any one of them, strange and frightening as they were--everything strange being frightening, of course--could just disappear one day was, well...

He shook his head, arms crossing against his chest defensively. When the girl stopped, so did he, and he remained there in awkward silence for a minute while they reflected.

"...C-Cole, uhm, are-are you...?"

Paz, after many long hours hiding in his room, finally came out, and it was to go to this girl's funeral. The announcement from this morning had frightened him to the extreme. He only thought that they were just going to turn into freaks, he never thought that they could die from it. The realization of the horrible situation he got himself into an emotional state that had him lock himself in his room, and in bed while dreading and fearing his new life.

It took him a lot to talk himself into going to this funeral. There really wasn't any need for him to go. He didn't know the girl. It did depress him that he didn't use his magic on this girl, and even more when he realized he never will. Once the sun started to set, he jumped from his bed and took a long hot shower. He dress as appropriate as he could for a funeral, a black designer duskull shirt and black slacks with shiny black boots. He still adorn his trademark sunglasses as he slowly walked toward the beach.

He hoped that this event would be quick, he really didn't want to think to much about all of this. To be on a more positive note, he was going to meet up with the other people on the island most likely, like the other girls. He grinned to himself. Yet, that doesn't mean that he will flirt nonstop, he was going to be respectful for this Renilda chick.

As he got to the beach he could see a group of people circling around a bonfire. It seemed rather uncivilized to have a bonfire as a funeral ceremony. The people running this place might not of thought that some of us would die because of this stupid project.

From the crowd, he could tell the petite lady was Ice. She was standing very still and starting deep into the fire. Paz thought of going to comfort her, but he still believed he need some more time before talking to her again, he did needed her to miss him. That wont happen if he talked to her 24/7.

There was the rude dude standing by this girl with shimmering white skin. . . wait what? Paz had to do a double-take to make sure he saw what he saw. The girl really did have some sort of white fuzz on her skin. It was very weird looking. The only reasoning Paz could think of is that she was one of the first people to be changed. I really do hope I don't look like that. The only guess Paz could have about her is that she was the rude dude's sister they were talking about days ago. He did remember the rude guy talking about taking care of his sister. At least she didn't die like the other . . .

Paz had to change the subject in his mind, he was already starting to get emotional. Most of the other people Paz did not recognized. There was a guy about his age sitting on the sand by the fire and another walking around. Paz disregarded these two when he noticed Mike with a pretty lady. How is it that Mike is always around cute chicks? Do they really love that helpless, weakling act?

Paz slowly walked toward Mike and the girl, not showing at all the plan he was developing in his head. He got beside Mike and spoke quietly, "Hey Mike. Really sad isn't it." He then turned to the chick in front of him and said, "I am very sorry a pretty lady like yourself has to go through this." He didn't do anything else, no wink, grin, or even a hint of flirtation in his voice. He just turned to the fire. He want to give a good impression to this girl. It won't help him at all to do what he normally does at a time like this.

After hearing Gregory's comment, G gave him an annoyed glance and said; "Oh, shut up.." He then turned his eyes onto Ice, and continued; "Although, I do hope these Idiots now realize how dangerous these experiments are. Humans aren't some dolls you can just poke with who knows what fluids, that supposedly turn us into some weird creatures! Sure would like to put some of those damn chemicals into one of these morons who call themselves "scientists" and see how they like it!.." After he had finished, G glanced at a dark blue bruise-like spot on his lower arm and quickly pulled down the sleeve of the white shirt he was wearing - to cover the 'bruise'.

He then turned his attention to the other people slowly arriving at the beach, none of them he knew. He had only seen glances of them in the corridors and rooms of the facility, but had never really taken any contact to the newer people. He had spent too much time worrying about himself and his plan, and thus had completely forgotten about the other people on the island. "Oh well.. All of us are going to die at some point, either like Rennie or then by transforming.." He thought, while letting out a short yawn and rubbing his eyes. G hadn't really had much sleep, after his Fabrication - And it hadn't made it any easier, that he had these 'bruises' appearing around his body and causing an annoying stinging sensation.

"...C-Cole, uhm, are-are you...?"

Mike's voice pulled Cole out of her reverie, and the corner of her lips twitched ever so slightly in the shadow of a sad smile. Cole didn't realize that Mike had been following her, but it was something of a comfort to her, having him there. She at least felt comfortable talking to him, after all. Cole turned to face him, and was about to answer his question (if you could call it that), when she was interrupted by Paz's arrival.

"Hey Mike. Really sad isn't it," and then "I am very sorry a pretty lady like yourself has to go through this."

If they had been anywhere else, Cole would have laughed at the juxtaposition of those two statements, as if they were both directed at the same person. Given the circumstances, though, it hardly fazed her. "I... I didn't even know her," she said softly. "It's just... a shock, I guess. I mean, I didn't expect..."

"None of us did," Luke muttered, finally speaking up. He rubbed his sister's shoulder gently, hoping that it would help. "Sometimes these kinds of things happen, and it's always a shock. I didn't know her either, and even I'm upset. These people are crazy; we're humans, not lab Rattatas," he growled.

"These experiments have already claimed a life; who's to say more won't die? This is absolutely sickening. Human lives aren't meant to be toyed with." Even he was surprised; he didn't usually say this much in front of people. Maybe his anger at this tragedy made him more loose-tongued; his anger tended to do that sometimes. "Although, if we did get a chance to be the injectors instead of the injectees, I'd like a shot, to at least let them know what it's like."

"We shouldn't say things like that," Mira said slowly. "If we did to them what they did to us, we'd be no better than them. I'm not sinking to their level." The tears were now starting to burn her eyes, so she had to close them and let the tears fall in order to ease the pain. She placed a now-trembling hand on her brother's.

"She was my closest friend here and now... what am I gonna do?" She started to sob quietly, not even bothering to wipe her eyes. "I hate this! My chest is aching, my eyes are burning, and I can barely stand! Why does grief have to be so painful?!" She didn't care who was watching as she cried; anything to ease the pain.

Oh no.

Mike flinched as soon as he caught sight of Paz, and when the older man approached he sort of shuffled back, putting Cole between them. Was he--was he hiding behind her?

Shit. He really was.

He's not scary, he's just an idiot.

Regardless, the boy stood sheepishly aside, eyes lowered. Damnit, was he being spoken to? Mike turned his head, looking out at the loud, chattery circle surrounding the bonfire rather than the one addressing them.

"Uh...y-yeah. Sad. Um." Cole, fortunately, stated the obvious for him; surprisingly, though, he turned his head back after a beat to regard them both with a nervous, guarded expression. Then all focus returned to his feet. "I-it's just, we, we just g-got here and someone's--someone's already..." He swallowed, mouth dry.

"...Someone, I mean, I heard sh-she was just a--j-just fourteen."