*Tamisha, Shiko, and Alison are walking down the street.  They pause in 
front of a somewhat weathered, fifties-style house.*
Tamisha:  Well, this is where I get off, kiddoes.
Alison:  See you tomorrow, Tamisha.
Tamisha:  Yeah, see ya.  See you, too, Shiko.
Shiko:  Okay!!  ^__^
Shiko:  Bai, Tamisha!
Tamisha:  *goes into the house and temporarily vanishes from the story*
Shiko:  *keeps walking with Alison towards Alison's half-house*
Shiko:  So, Alison, do you like school so far?
Alison:  *shrugs*  It's okay so far.  Nothing to get excited about, but 
it's not too bad.
Shiko:  I like this school, too.  My last school didn't offer Latin, but 
I got to take Russian instead, and that was neat!
Shiko:  But I love Latin, so I'm glad I can take it here!
Alison:  Latin's better than some other languages.  Russian seems like 
it would be kinda cool to learn.
Shiko:  It is!  ^-^V  I don't remember a lot of it, though, just some of 
the useful basic stuff.
Alison:  Like "Where's the bathroom?"
Shiko:  ^-^  Yep!
Alison:  Always a useful thing to know, in any language.
Shiko:  Yes...  *has a sudden thoughtful, listening look*
Alison:  ?.?
Shiko:  Nothing - so, how long have you taken Latin?
Alison:  This is my third year.  I started when I was a freshman.
Shiko:  Wow!  So you're pretty good, right?
Alison:  At least as good as the other students in our class.
Shiko:  ^-^
Shiko:  *points at somewhat shabby house*  Is that yours, Alison?
Alison:  Yeah...
Shiko:  ^-^  Well, I'll see you tomorrow!
Alison:  See ya.
Alison:  *walks up the steps and unlocks the door*
Shiko:  *keeps going down the street*
Alison:  *closes door behind her, drops her books and stuff on the 
kitchen table, and looks in the fridge*
Alison's Mother:  *comes in from the tiny living room*  Hello, dear.
Mother:  Have a good day at school?
Alison:  There was a new girl in my American History and Latin classes.
Alison:  She's very nice and cute.
Mother:  That's nice, dear.
Mother:  We're going to have spaghetti tonight.  Do you want to make 
sauce, or just open a can?
Alison:  I'll make it.
Mother:  Fine.  There's some tomatoes in the fridge, I think...
Alison:  *checks*
Alison:  Yup.
Alison:  *starts making tomato sauce, however that's done*
Mother:  Good... well, I have to go out - I'll be back in an hour or so.
Mother:  Don't burn anything down, okay?  *gives her a half-hearted 
smile*
Alison:  *gives her a slight smile back*  I won't.
Mother:  Bye.  *leaves*
*fade out to next day, entering the Latin classroom*
Shiko:  *catches Alison right before she goes in*  Hi again!!
Alison:  Hey, how are things?
Shiko:  Just great!  I heard we got a new teacher - do you think they'll 
know more?
Shiko:  Yesterday the sub didn't seem to know as much as a teacher 
should...
Alison:  Yeah...  I'm sure they have someone better now.
Shiko:  *walks into the classroom and bounces to her seat, which is right
next to Alison’s*
Shiko:  *hasn't looked at the new teacher yet*
Alison:  *sits down in her seat, begins taking her books out of her bag;
doesn't look either*
Shiko:  *starts scribbling things down in Greek*
Bell:  *rings*
San:  *Sitting at his desk in a kind of slouching way, asleep.  Stirs 
when the bell rings*
San:  Unh?
Shiko:  *still scribbling in Greek, muttering under her breath*
San:  *looks around, sees the class assembled, straightens up*  Ahem.  As
you've probably already guessed, I am your new Latin teacher.
Shiko:  *at sound of voice*  !.!
Shiko:  *looks up*  0.0!!!!!!!!!!
Alison:  *looks up, then at Shiko*  What's wrong?
Shiko:  *still staring at Angelico, doesn't hear her*
San:  My name is Angelico Watcher.  You can call me Mr. Watcher, or just
plain Watcher.
Shiko:  *muttering*  But I thought he was still - oh, Jesu, we're 
doomed...
Alison:  *waves a hand in her face*  Hello...?
Shiko:  Just as long as - but -  *blinks*  Oro?
Alison:  What's wrong?
Alison:  Do you know this guy?
Shiko:  Well...  *looks at her Greek scribbles*
Shiko:  Um - he taught at my last school, too.
Shiko:  *makes face - hates lying*
San:  *picks up attendance sheet*  Now, if I say your name wrong, don't
holler at me, just correct me and I'll try and remember.
Shiko:  *muttering again*  I just know they'll do it, too...
Shiko:  *sighs*  No help for it.  I'll have to call Tim.
Alison:  Huh?
Alison:  Did he commit an offense or something at your last school?
Shiko:  0.0!
Shiko:  No, no!  Just - don't worry, right?  No problems!  ^-^
Alison:  Okay...  Whatever you say...
San:  *calls Shiko's name first, raises an eyebrow and looks straight at 
her when he says it*
Shiko:  *gives him a flat look*
San:  Well...  It's been a little while, hasn't it, Shiko?
Shiko:  -.-  Not nearly long enough, Angelico.
Shiko:  *softens a little*  Nice to see you again.
San:  *smiles*  You too.
Shiko:  ^-^
San:  *goes down the list, then reaches... (drum roll, please)*
San:  Alison Devar?
Alison:  *raises her hand*  Here.
San:  *looks her up and down, raises an eyebrow again and glances at 
Shiko*
Shiko:  -.-  No.
Alison:  *didn't notice the scrutiny, went back to writing*
Shiko:  *High* *school* *student*, Angelico.
San:  *mock-tears*  ;.;
Alison:  *doesn't notice*
Shiko:  Emphasis on "student."
Other Students:  *ignoring everything, just talking, like all high school
students*
San:  *shrugs and continues down the list, glancing at all the pretty 
girls, but not nearly as much as Alison*
Shiko:  *looks at her scribbles again, crosses them all out*
Shiko:  *starts writing in cuneiform instead*
San:  *puts down the list, claps his hands for silence*  Excuse me.
Alison:  *looks up*
Shiko:  *keeps one ear open while writing*
San:  I don't know what you're accustomed to, but in my class, you don't 
talk unless I call on you or ask you a question.
San:  Apparently, none of you have had much of a teacher so far, and so
haven't been practicing your Latin.  Therefore, I put together a refresher
quiz, to pull your minds out of the bog that summer may have put them in. 
Shiko:  *rolls eyes*
San:  *starts passing out the quizzes, seemingly oblivious to the groans 
of the students*
Shiko:  *in perfect 3rd-century gutter Latin*  "Aw - do I hafta?"
Shiko:  "I know this stuff inside out, and I really have to finish this
report..."
San:  *speaking Latin himself*  "If you know it so well, you'll breeze
through and be done in no time, with enough time to do the report."
Shiko:  ;.;  "You're such a softie."  *finishes the quiz in two minutes*
Shiko:  *goes back to the cuneiform*
San:  *gathers her quiz up, scrutinizing for the slightest mistake*
Shiko:  -.-
San:  *Checks it quickly and hands it back.  She only got 90 percent*
Shiko:  !.!  "What do you MEAN, ninety percent?!"
San:  "You forgot to dot your i's, and that looks more like an o than an 
e."  *grins maliciously*
San:  “If you're so good, you should catch mistakes like that.”
Shiko:  -.-!!!!!  "I know I should I have taken Spanish this time."
San:  *shrugs*  "Your mistake."
Shiko:  *gives up and laughs*  "It really is good to see you again."
San:  "How could you not miss me?"
Shiko:  ^_______^
Alison:  *looks completely confused at the two speaking perfect Latin*
Shiko:  *realizes this, switches back to English*  Sorry, Alison...
Alison:  Eh...  That's... okay, I guess...  *still a little confused*
Shiko:  ^-^
*Fade to the next day, Alison's 4th period class.  It’s the beginning of
class, and there’s a new student.*
Alison:  *yawns*
Teacher:  Now, class, we've got a new student today who just transferred 
from Tokyo...  *smiles brightly*  Let's all welcome him.
Teacher:  His name is Damien Argent.
Damien:  *stands in front of the class, bangs over one eye, looking
embarrassed*
Damien:  Hi.
Students:  *mostly ignore him*
Teacher:  Well, then...  Damien, why don't you go sit by Miss Devar?
Damien:  *nods, sits down by Alison*
Alison:  Hi.
Damien:  Hi.
Alison:  I'm Alison.
Damien:  *smiles a little*  I'm Damien.  It's nice to meet you.
Alison:  *nods*  Same here.
Damien:  Would you mind helping me get caught up?
Damien:  I don't really know where we're supposed to be...
Alison:  Well, right now we're on chapter 10, continuing from last year.
Damien:  @.@  Okay...
Damien:  *takes out the book and looks at it*
Alison:  *opens her book*  Chapter ten, section 3.
Damien:  *opens to same page, sighs in relief*  Oh!
Alison:  I'm sure you wouldn't be in this class if you weren't near this
level, at least.
Damien:  Yes - I think this will be all right.  *semi-smiles*
Alison:  *half-smiles back*
*Fade to lunch, where Alison, Shiko, Tamisha, Val, and Judy are eating
together.*
Alison:  *eats*
Alison:  There was a new student in my math class today.
Shiko:  *instantly on alert*  Really?
Shiko:  What were they like?
Alison:  He was kinda cute.
Alison:  He was kinda quiet, and a little shy.
Shiko:  He sounds nice!  Is he around?
Damien:  *wandering around the cafeteria, lost and confused*  @.@
Alison:  *looks around, spots poor Damien looking lost at the other end 
of the cafeteria*  There he is!
Shiko:  *looks that way*  !.!
Shiko:  *muttering furiously*  I KNEW it, I KNEW it, I KNEW it...
Alison:  *waves*  Hey, Damien!
Damien:  *sees Alison but not Shiko, who has just ducked behind Judy*
Alison:  Come sit with us!
Damien:  Hi!  *walks over*
Damien:  Thank you...
Shiko:  *still hiding behind Judy*
Judy:  @.@  Shiko, what are you doing?
Damien:  ?.?
Alison:  What ARE you doing, Shiko?
Shiko:  *sighs*  Oh, well...  *stops hiding*
Damien:  Shiko-san!
Shiko:  ^-^;;;  Hi, Daemon.
Damien:  *switches to Japanese*  "Shiko-san!  What are you doing here?  
Is everything going well?  I haven't seen you since - well..."
Damien:  *looks sheepish*
Shiko:  "I know - look, it's a bit complicated, no da?"
Alison:  *looks between them*  Huh?
Shiko:  *goes back to English*  Sorry, Alison...  ^-^;;;
Damien:  I'm sorry!  That was very rude of me...  *bows*
Alison:  That's okay...
Alison:  *think's it's kinda cute how polite Damien is, but isn't about 
to admit it*
Damien:  May I sit here?
Damien:  *looks at Shiko, as if for permission*
Shiko:  *sighs*  Sure.  Why not?  Have a seat.
Damien:  *looks at Alison*  May I?
Alison:  Sure!
Damien:  *semi-smiles again, sits down*
Damien:  *goes to Greek, a high-class Athenian dialect*  "Is something 
the matter, Miss Shiko?"
Alison:  *decides this is going to be normal from now on, and she's just
going to ignore it*
Shiko:  *also Greek, but with a street accent*  "Definitely.  I haven't
checked in with Tir or Tim yet, but I can sense problems in the air."
Shiko:  "What language are you taking here?"
Damien:  "Latin.  It's still one of my favorites."
Shiko:  *facefaults*
Valentine:  Why are you guys talking in all these different languages?
Shiko:  *back to English*  Bad habit of ours...
Alison:  *eats*
Damien:  *bows to Valentine, as best he can while sitting*  I'm sorry,
miss...?
Valentine:  *blushes*  Valentine.  Really, everyone calls me Val, though.
Tamisha:  Hey, don't hog the pretty face, Val.  I'm Tamisha.
Judy:  I'm Judy.  Are you a vegetarian?
Damien:  *looks between Alison and Shiko helplessly*
Alison:  Don't look at me, they're only my friends.
Damien:  Oh...
Shiko:  *to Judy*  If Damien ate, I'm sure he'd be a vegetarian...  ^-^;;;
Damien:  Shiko-san!
Alison:  ?.?  What does that mean?
Shiko:  ^__^  He's an anorexic!
Damien:  @.@  Shiko-saaaaan...
Alison:  *disapproves of anorexic people*  Is that true?
Damien:  No!
Shiko:  No, I was just kidding...
Alison:  Oh, good.
Judy:  So, are you a vegetarian?
Damien:  Well...  Yes, I suppose so.
Judy:  ^-^  Good.  Glad to meet you.
Damien:  @.@  Good to meet you, too...
Alison:  Congrats.  You've got a friend for life.
Shiko:  ^-^;;;  Un!
Damien:  *semi-smiles*
*And - fade to entering Latin again.*
Shiko:  *has very, very nervous look as she walks into the classroom*
San:  *asleep again*
Shiko:  *doesn't see Damien as she walks in, sighs with relief*
Alison:  *sits down at her desk and starts copying exercises from the 
board*
Shiko:  *sits down, writing furiously in cuneiform*
Damien:  *walks in, very curious to find out why Shiko would facefault 
when he said he was taking Latin*
San:  *still asleep*
San:  *snorts and wakes up when Damien comes in*
Shiko:  *braces herself, looking deadly serious*
Damien:  *sees San*  0.0
San:  *sees Shalohim*  0.0
Damien:  *stares at him for almost an entire minute, looking completely
unreadable*
Shiko:  *touches the base of her neck with one hand, holds an ankh pendant 
in the other*
San:  *looks slightly awkward*
Shiko:  *mutters under her breath in a completely unrecognizable language*
Alison:  *looks up and notices Mr. Watcher, Damien, and Shiko, and wonders
what's going on*
Damien:  *finding his voice, unfortunately in Japanese with a Kansai 
accent*  "W- where should I sit, sensei?"
San:  *looks at the classroom, replies*  "Next to Alison would be fine."
Alison:  *hears her name, wonders what's going on again*
Damien:  *doesn't trust his voice again, just sits behind Shiko and 
diagonal to Alison*
Shiko:  *breathes tiny, tiny sigh of relief, but keeps one hand at her
throat*
Damien:  *looks at Shiko*
Shiko:  *shrugs, switches to an Aramaic dialect*  "You wanted to take 
Latin."
Alison:  *works on the exercises*
Shiko:  *in the same dialect*  "You could have warned me."
Alison:  *works some more*
Shiko:  *looking over Alison's shoulder*  Um, Alison...
Alison:  Hm?
Shiko:  *points at exercise*  You've got the wrong case for that one...
Alison:  *checks it*  Oh, you're right.  Thanks.
Shiko:  No problem!  ^-^
Shiko:  I didn't mean to be ignoring you earlier...
San:  *stands up, looks around the classroom at talking students*  I think
maybe I didn't make myself clear yesterday.
Shiko:  *closes mouth suddenly*
Damien:  *looks innocent*
San:  *says in a semi-loud voice*  From now on, those who talk after the
bell rings will instantly get five minutes of lunch detention.  Each time 
you talk you will get five more minutes.
Shiko:  !.!
Alison:  *finishes the exercises*
Shiko:  *makes "zipping lips and throwing away the key" motions*
San:  Now, I graded your quizzes from yesterday, and I was disappointed 
with the results.
Shiko:  -.-
San:  So, I'm assigning twice the homework I was planning to, and the
exercises on the board are to be turned in by the end of the period, or 
you get an F on this assignment.
Shiko:  !.!
San:  Your homework is written at the top of the board.  You can start on
that when you finish the in-class assignment.
Shiko:  *sighing exaggeratedly, copies down the homework and the 
exercises*
Damien:  *dutifully doing all the work*
*Both Shiko and Damien are done with all of it in fifteen minutes.*
Alison:  *checks her exercises, then gets up and gives her paper to San*  
I'm done.
Alison:  *goes back to her seat and starts on the homework*
Shiko:  *takes Damien's paper up along with her own*
Shiko:  *back to the gutter Latin*  "Here you go."
Shiko:  "Want the homework, too?"
San:  "I'll check it tomorrow."
Shiko:  ;.;  "Fine, fine..."  *goes back to her seat and starts drawing
little cartoons*
San:  *checks Alison's work*
Damien:  *very obviously doesn't look at San*
San:  *finishes with that and carefully scrutinizes Shiko's work*
Random Student:  *pokes Alison*  How come the teacher didn't introduce 
the new student?
Damien:  *hides his face*
Alison:  *shrugs* I don't know...
Random Student:  Hmph.  *pokes another student, asks the same question*
Shiko:  *keeps drawing little cartoons of chibi-San and chibi-Shalohim
running around, beating each other up*
Alison:  *notices the cartoons, looks at Shiko questioningly*
Shiko:  ^-^;;;  I like drawing...  I'm not too good, but it's fun, anyway!
San:  *sits at desk, grading papers*
Student A:  *raises his hand*
Damien:  *sees the cartoons*  0.0!!!
San:  *looks up* Yes, what do you need help with?
Damien:  *in Japanese, Tokyo dialect*  "Shiko-san!  We never -"
Shiko:  Sssh!
Student A:  Shiko and the new kid are talking!
Shiko:  -.-!!!
Damien:  -.-
San:  *sweatdrops*  They must have not heard the rule.  They both get off
this time.
Student A:  *mutters, but decides not to argue*
Shiko:  *gives San a grateful look*
Damien:  *hides face again*
San:  *pretends to ignore look, goes back to grading papers*
*Both Shiko and Damien keep their mouths firmly shut for the rest of the
period.*
Alison:  *does her homework*
*Fade to Shiko, Alison, and Tamisha in front of the school, standing 
around for a few minutes before heading home.*
Shiko:  *tries very hard to look genki, but keeps glancing around 
nervously and ruining the whole effect*
Tamisha:  Yo, Shiko, what's the matter?
Alison:  Yeah, you look nervous...
Shiko:  Oro?  Heh - um - it's nothing, really!  ^-^;;;
Shiko:  Why don't we go?
Damien:  *walks up*  Hello, Miss Alison, Miss Tamisha, Miss Shiko.
Shiko:  *facefaults*
Alison:  Hi.
Damien:  May I walk with you?  I believe we live in the same 
neighborhood...  *looks a little nervous himself*
Alison:  Sure.
Shiko:  *shrugs, goes to Hebrew*  "The damage has been done.  You might 
as well."
Damien:  Thank you.  *semi-smiles, walks with them towards the 
neighborhood*
Tamisha:  So, Damien, where'd you transfer from?
Damien:  I was living in the Akihabara district of Tokyo...
Alison:  That's pretty cool.
Shiko:  Hontou ni?
Damien:  *nods*  Un...
Damien:  Yes, it was very interesting.
Damien:  *smiles for real suddenly*  What I loved most was being in a
Buddhist country.
Alison:  Are you Buddhist?
Damien:  *laughs*
Damien:  *smiles again*  No, no... but I like Buddhism.
Alison:  *smiles back*  That's pretty cool.
Damien:  It's almost the only religion I know that doesn't force itself 
on others, and that's very important to me...
Tamisha:  Huh.
Tamisha:  So, do you have any cool electronics stuff?
Damien:  *shakes head*  I don't really collect possessions...
Damien:  I move too much.
Tamisha:  Oh.  *looks disappointed*
Tamisha:  Well, here's my house.
Tamisha:  See you guys tomorrow.  Nice talkin' to ya, Shiko, Damien.
Alison:  See ya tomorrow.
Damien:  *bows*  Bye.
Shiko:  Bai!
*All keep walking.*
Shiko:  *looking a little more serious*  Daemon, you've got a place, 
right?
Damien:  Of course!
Shiko:  Just checking...
Alison:  *wonders why he wouldn't, doesn't say anything*
Shiko:  Anyway...
Shiko:  Alison, do you want any help with the homework?
Alison:  No, I think I can manage.  Thanks for offering, though.
Shiko:  ^-^  My pleasure!  I love languages!
Shiko:  Daemon here's pretty good with them, too, in case you hadn't
guessed...  ^-^;
Damien:  *blushes*  I'm not as good...
Shiko:  Nonsense!
Shiko:  Don't pay attention to him, he's been in Japan too long!  ^-^
Shiko:  He's much better than I am.
Damien:  Shiko-saaaan...  *blushes more*
Alison:  *giggles*
Shiko:  ^-^V
*The three walk on in comfortable silence.*
Alison:  Well, here's my place.
Damien:  *bows*  It was very nice to talk with you, Miss Alison.
Alison:  Same here.  See you two tomorrow.  *goes into her house*
Damien:  Bye...
Shiko:  Bai!
Shiko:  *turns around and faces Damien, switches to Hebrew again*  
"Daemon, it really is good to see you again."
Shiko:  "I just don't want more trouble..."
Damien:  *looks humble*  "I'm sorry, Shiko..."
Shiko:  *sighs*  "And 'Argent'?"
Shiko:  *touches his eyelids gently, voice changing subtly*  "<Oh,
Shalohim... you can't let go, can you?>"
Damien:  *nearly crying*  But I didn't - I didn't do anything wrong, and
they...
Shiko:  *voice is normal again*  "Oh, I know, Daemon...  I know..."
Alison:  *grabs a snack and goes to the window seat at the side of the 
house*
Shiko:  *taking a brisk tone suddenly and going back to English*  Well!
Shiko:  You DO have a place, right?
Damien:  Yes...
Shiko:  9.9  Let me guess - it's another of those abandoned rat-traps you
love to haunt.
Shiko:  Good grief - I know they give you money for expenses, can't you 
find SOMEPLACE nicer to stay than a slum?
Damien:  *has stubborn look*
Shiko:  *sighs again*  Oh, well...
Shiko:  I've got to go, my "aunt" will be worrying.  I'll see you 
tomorrow.
Damien:  Bai...
Shiko:  *impulsively ruffles hair, momentarily revealing that he has two
perfectly black eyes - irises, NOT bruises*
Shiko:  *then walks down the street towards her house*
Damien:  *runs hand through hair, straightening it and making it fall 
across his right eye again*
Damien:  *then heads in a different direction*
Alison:  *meditates on the meaning of life as she finishes her Latin
homework*
*Fade to a quick scene of Shiko talking on the phone.*
Shiko:  Look, Tim, can't you do anything?
Shiko:  I mean, this is INSANE!  Do you remember what happened last time
those two were together?
Shiko:  They're STILL picking up the pieces!
Shiko:  *listens for a minute*
Shiko:  Yes, true, I wasn't there.
Shiko:  But still...
Shiko:  *sighs*  I know, mysterious ways.  It drives me nuts.
Shiko:  Thanks, Tim.  I really appreciate you trying...
Shiko:  Yeah.  Yeah, love you, too.  See ya!
Shiko:  *hangs up*