[center][h1][color=9e0b0f]MEAT[/color][/h1][/center]
In the center of a twin bed, in a studio apartment on the ground floor of the Rogue-X building lay Howard Fairchild. A dormant, oblong blob, Howard looked to be asleep, until a small digital clock started buzzing loudly, blinking its red screen that read 8:30 AM. Howard stirred, roiling to life, and letting out a low inhuman groan. A pair of tentacles sprung from the mass, one gripping the bed frame to drag Howard to the edge of the bed, and the other moving in the opposite direction to grope for the snooze button on the clock. Instead, Howard rolled off the bed, flailing his limbs in a failed attempt at catching himself. Quickly he grew a mouth and voice box, to start a steady stream of half-muttered, sleep addled swears.

After a few minutes spent in misery on the floor, Howard roused himself fully, sprouting a pair of legs with which to amble about the bed and switch off the alarm. An announcement came over the building's intercomm. The AI called everyone to the lounge in fifteen minutes. Howard make a soft chuffing noise, almost like a chuckle to himself. Without a need to shower or dress he'd at least have time for breakfast. Howard moved out the door, and shifted until he was approximately standing upright in his apartment's small kitchen. Humming to himself, he gathered ingredients cheerfully. When he wasn't eating for biomass, he was glad to enjoy his meals. In a few minutes, Howard had prepared a simple dish of scrambled eggs on toast, which was quickly shredded to bits inside a maw far too horrifying for breakfast. Still, he hummed with satisfaction.

Moving out from his apartment, Howard shifted to humanoid form in preparation for joining his companions. No sense in breaking the habit now. Moving with little urgency, Howard ambled down the hallway and into the lounge. Already the room was filling with his compatriots, and Howard's slit mouth curled upwards in a smile. It was toothy, and curled halfway up his head, but it was genuine as he greeted the gathered. [color=9e0b0f]"Hiya guys! Guess I'm kinda late, huh? Sorry, breakfast came first."[/color] Howard's voice was a little strained with the effort of maintaining human tone. [color=9e0b0f]"So Serenity, what's got us all up so early? Something fun?"[/color]