*Scene fades to a nearby alley, where San is on the prowl.*
San:  *on the prowl*
Josh:  *leaning against the wall, looking sullen, scruffy, not at ALL 
clean, and remarkably like Shalohim*
San:  *notices him in mid-prowl*  ?.?
Josh:  -.-  *radiates "touch me without paying and die" rays*
San:  *blushes and looks away*  Sh- Sh- Shal?
San:  *slightly confused*
Josh:  Don' know no Shal.
San:  *realizes his mistake, looks back at the scruffy-looking kid*  Oh,
excuse me...  I... I thought you were a friend of mine...
Josh:  *shrugs, indicating complete lack of interest in any friend of 
San's or their chance resemblance to him*
Josh:  *does not offer his own name*
San:  *turns casual once again*  So what's your asking price?
Josh:  *sullenly lists prices which I personally will not list because I 
am a prude*
San:  And how much of that does your employer get?
Josh:  Half.
San:  *shrugs*  I'll pay double the asking price for the whole night.
Josh:  -.-  *thinks that all the big spenders are perverted bastards, 
which is usually right*
Josh:  ’Kay.
San:  Follow me.
Josh:  -.-  *follows, still looking sullen*
San:  *leads the way to his car, which he for some reason brought, maybe
because of a premonition, or maybe because he didn't want to look 
suspicious, walking all the way from his upper-class apartment to here*
Josh:  *at the car*  -.-
Josh:  *already has bad feeling*
San:  *opens passenger door for him, like a gentleman*
Josh:  -.-  *gets in*
San:  *gets in driver's side, starts car and heads for his apartment*
Josh:  *sits in the car and glares out the window*  -.-
San:  *decides it's a fair night and puts down the top, since he (of 
course) has a convertible*
Josh:  0.0
Josh:  *tones down the glare a little, since he will be getting more 
money AND a convertible ride*
San:  *likes the picture he makes, with his long hair blowing in the wind 
and everything*
Josh:  *likes the picture, too, and decides that as long as this guy 
isn't TOO pervy, it might not be a bad night*
San:  *hasn't even looked at Josh since he got in the car*
Josh:  *relaxes just slightly*
San:  *somehow notices that and allows himself a small smile*
San:  *pulls into the parking lot of his apartment building and turns off 
the engine*
Josh:  *looks around at the building*  Jesus...
Josh:  You live nice, dontcha?
San:  Yeah.
San:  *puts the roof back down, then opens the door for Josh again*
Josh:  -.-  *gets out, wondering what's WITH this guy*
San:  *locks the car, then heads for his apartment*
Josh:  *follows, resigning himself*
San:  *unlocks his apartment door, holding the door open for Josh to go 
in first*
Josh:  -.-  *goes in, looking around*
Josh:  Nice place.
San:  Thanks.
San:  Now go take a shower.
Josh:  ?.?  *completely thrown off guard*
Josh:  Whafu...?
San:  *points*  The bathroom's in there.  There are towels in the 
linen closet, which is that small door right in front of the bathroom.
Josh:  I'm still on the "shower" part.
San:  What, are you afraid of water?
Josh:  -.-  No.
San:  Well, go on then.
Josh:  -.-!!!  *goes*
San:  *sneaks into the bathroom, ignoring the shower-area, grabs 
Josh's clothes and sneaks out with them*
Josh:  *plays with the water, kind of surprised to realize how dirty he
really was*
San:  *holds his nose as he puts the clothes in the washer*
San:  *sets the thing on triple cycle and goes out into the living room 
to wait patiently for Josh*
Josh:  *sticks his head out of the bathroom, dripping wet and with an
exceedingly red face*  What the hell didya do with my clothes?!
San:  I'm washing them.
Josh:  But - but -!
San:  *gets up and hands him a bathrobe*  Here.
San:  They were filthy.
Josh:  *snatches it most ungraciously and emerges a few minutes later, 
clean, dry, and still grumpy*
San:  *sitting on couch, reading*
Josh:  Well?  *looks around for the bed or similar convenience*
San:  Well what?
Josh:  -.-  What did you THINK you were offering to pay double for?
San:  Obviously not what you think I was paying double for.
Josh:  -.-  *thinks he must be stuck with a REAL pervert this time and 
has no one to blame but himself*
San:  *washer pings to show it's done, and he gets up and puts the 
clothes in the dryer*
Josh:  *stands around, tapping his foot and feeling weirder by the 
moment*
San:  *comes back*  You might as well sit down.  Your clothes aren't 
done yet.
Josh:  -.-  *flops down ungraciously on a chair*
San:  *reads a book while the dryer does its thing*
Josh:  *sits and glares at things in general*
Plant in the Corner:  *withers*
Josh:  !.!
Josh:  *pokes at the plant, wondering if HE did that*
San:  *looks at the plant*  Hmm...  I guess I haven't watered that in a
while.
Josh:  Oh.
San:  *did that himself for effect, but of course doesn't admit it*
Josh:  *goes back to glaring, but not quite as hard as before*
San:  *goes off to get water, muttering*  I could have sworn I watered 
it just yesterday...
Josh:  *muttering to himself*  Nutcase.  My luck never changes.
San:  *waters the plant, but it doesn't perk up*  Hmm.  I guess I'll take 
it to a botanist tomorrow, see if it has bugs or something.  *shrugs and 
sits down again*
Josh:  *wonders what the hell he's supposed to do, if not his usual*
Dryer:  *dings*
San:  Oh, good.  Your clothes are done.
Josh:  *almost jumps a foot into the air*
Josh:  Good!
Josh:  *is not feeling comfortable in someone else’s robe*
San:  *gets up and gets them out of the dryer*
Josh:  *takes the clothes*  -.-
Josh:  *debates changing in front of San to show off what he's missing,
decides against it and goes into the bathroom to change*
San:  *wasn't going to watch him change anyway, but sighs in relief*
Josh:  *comes out, looking marginally better but still kinda scruffy*
San:  *hands him a brush*  Brush your hair, will you?
Josh:  -.-!  *brushes his hair*
San:  *takes the brush back*  Much better.  Let's go.
Josh:  Go WHERE?
San:  To get some food, of course.  Aren't you hungry?
San:  I certainly am.
San:  *lying through his teeth, but with good cause*
Josh:  -.-  *has been hungry for most of his life*
Josh:  WhatEVER.
San:  *decides to ignore the whatever and leads the way back to the car*
Josh:  *follows*
Josh:  Where ya goin', anyway?
San:  Cat and Cheese Cafe.
Josh:  Never heard of it.
San:  Neither have I, until I looked in the phonebook.
Josh:  -.-  How do you know it's any good?
San:  *shrugs*  I don't.
Josh:  9.9  Jesus.
San:  *opens the door for him again, puts the top down, and climbs in
himself*
Josh:  *gets in*  What's with the door-opening thing?
Josh:  Did you, like, just escape from Gone with the Wind or something?
San:  *looks slightly offended*  It's a gentlemanly thing to do.
Josh:  Riiiiiight.  *doesn't look very convinced*
San:  *starts the car and heads towards the Cat and Cheese*
Josh:  *relaxes in the car a little bit*
San:  So, what's your name?
Josh:  Josh.
Josh:  *wonders if he ought to ask for this guy's name, though it isn't
usually worth the bother even if he was going to pay for the whole 
night*
San:  I'm San.
Josh:  Weird name.
Josh:  *will probably just call him "mister" most of the time*
San:  Thanks.
Josh:  ~.-
Josh:  *leans back a little so he can look up*
San:  *pulls into the cafe parking lot*
Josh:  This the place?
San:  Yup.
Josh:  *gets out, not letting San open the door for him this time*
San:  *opens the door to the cafe instead*
Josh:  -.-  *goes inside*
San:  *snags a table near the entrance*
Josh:  *looks around at the very nice interior*  0.0
Waiter:  *hands them menus*
Josh:  *looks at the alien words*
Josh:  @.@  Exactly what are you supposed to EAT?
San:  *forgot to mention it was a French cafe*
San:  *calls to the waiter and order two of something in French*
Josh:  @.@
Josh:  *can only hope that whatever's being ordered is edible*
San:  *gives the waiter both the menus, sips his water*
Waiter:  *takes the menus and gives the orders to the kitchen*
Josh:  *looks at water suspiciously, but drinks it*
Josh:  *wonders what he's supposed to do*
Waiter:  *Reappears with two plates of food.  Looks somewhat disgusted as 
he puts two hamburgers down on the table.*
Josh:  *looks very relieved, almost smiles*
San:  *pays the waiter*
San:  Well, dig in!
Josh:  *makes his hamburger disappear in about a minute flat*
San:  *eats a couple of bites*  Hmm...  I guess I wasn't as hungry as I
thought.
Josh:  ~.-
San:  Want the rest of mine?
Josh:  Sure.
Josh:  *grabs it and wolfs it down, too*
San:  *munches on a couple of fries*
Josh:  *eats all of his fries and a few of San's, too*
San:  *watches him eat*
Josh:  *finishes, licking his fingers*  Not too shabby.
San:  *smiles*
Josh:  So, are you ready YET?
San:  *looks carefully blank*  Ready for what?
Josh:  -.-
Josh:  I'm failing to think of some other reason you'd have to pay 
double - to pay at ALL - and take me to dinner.
San:  *stares at him blankly*
Josh:  -.-  So, if we're paid up, we can go back and do whatever.  You're
paying enough.
San:  Uhm...  *pretends he has no clue what he's talking about*
Josh:  -.-!!!
Josh:  *has no patience for this kind of shyness*
San:  *drops the pretense*  All right, the reason why I'm not interested 
in you is I just kinda... wanted to give you a night off.
Josh:  -.-  Why the hell would you do THAT?
San:  You...  You remind me of an old friend of mine.
Josh:  -.-  Whatever.  Jesus.
San:  It's getting kind of late.
Josh:  Yeah... I guess...
San:  Come on.
Josh:  Right.  *follows him as they leave*
San:  *goes to car, not bothering to open the door this time, gets in*
Josh:  *sits down, now sort of bugged at the non-opening of the door and 
even more bugged for being bugged about it*
San:  *starts the car and heads back to his apartment*
Josh:  *looking up again*
Josh:  *likes looking at the sky, even if you can't see many stars when
you're in the city*
San:  *purposefully makes a few stars brighter*
Josh:  Nice stars.  *tries to sound nonchalant and uncaring*
San:  Yes, they are.
Josh:  *wonders if there's something he ought to apologize for*
Josh:  *can't think of anything, shrugs and keeps looking up*
San:  *turns the radio on*
Josh:  *listens to it*
Josh:  *hasn't listened to music for a very long time*
Josh:  Nice stuff.
San:  It's my favorite station.
Josh:  *grudgingly*  Good taste.
San:  Thank you.
Josh:  *almost smiles*
San:  *hums along to the music as he pulls into the parking lot*
Josh:  *wonders what he's supposed to do with a night off*
San:  *opens the door for him once again*
Josh:  *secretly pleased that whatever was wrong is better, gets out*  
'Nks.
San:  *smiles slightly, leads the way back to his apartment*
Josh:  *follows*
Josh:  *still not quite understanding why this guy would bother with him, 
but perfectly willing to put up with it for now*
San:  *ushers him in to the apartment, then begins rummaging in a closet*  
I think I have a cot in here somewhere...
Josh:  *looks in San's bedroom*  CHRIST!  That bed's big enough for five
people!
San:  *shrugs*
Josh:  You hold orgies here or something?
San:  *pulls his head out of the closet*  How silly of me, I forgot I have 
a sofa bed...
San:  *pretends he didn't hear that last comment...*
Josh:  *still looking at San's bed*  Jesus, we could both sleep in here 
and never know it...
San:  No need for that.  *opens the sofa bed*  Here.
Josh:  -.-  *sits down on it*
San:  It's better if I have nothing to tempt me.
Josh:  *blushes*
Josh:  Riiiiiiight...
Josh:  *takes off his shoes and gets into the bed*
San:  *smiles pleasantly*  Good night.
Josh:  'Night.
Josh:  *curls up into a little ball, which is how he normally sleeps*
San:  *feels his heart pang, but ignores it and walks into his room*
Josh:  *is asleep almost instantly*
San:  *when he's sure Josh is asleep, he goes back out and goes over to 
the bed, gently brushing a strand of hair out of his face*  Shalohim...
Josh:  *stirs slightly, but stays asleep*
San:  *in that touch, learns Josh’s history*

*Scene fades to the next Monday morning.*
Shiko:  *is walking by Alison's house on the way to school, with a 
nervous Damien hiding behind her*
Shiko:  9.9  Daemon, this looks RIDICULOUS!
Shalohim:  Demo...
Shiko:  9.9
Alison:  *is getting ready for school, happens to look out the window*
Shiko:  *looks up, sees her, and waves*  ^-^
Alison:  *opens the window and sticks her head out*  Hey, guys, wait for 
me!
Shiko:  Okay!
Shalohim:  *keeps hiding behind Shiko*
Shiko:  *stands and waits, occasionally glaring at Shal*
Shalohim:  ^-^;;;;;;;;;;;;;  *continues to hide*
Alison:  *Runs downstairs, says good-bye to her mom and opens the front 
door.  Smiles at Shiko.*  Ready for school?  *notices Damien, look at him 
in a puzzled way*  What are you doing, Damien?
Shalohim:  6.6  Um...
Shiko:  ^-^;;;  Don't mind him, he's just nervous.
Shiko:  *pokes him*  Could you act a LITTLE more suspicious?
Alison:  Why?
Shiko:  ^-^;;;  Oh, various things.
Alison:  Okay...
Shalohim:  o6.6o
Shiko:  Anyway, let's go!  Maybe we can catch up with Tamisha!
Alison:  Yeah!
Shiko:  ^-^  *walks fast, Shal still kinda hiding*
Alison:  *walks with her, looking at Damien in a puzzled way*
Shalohim:  6.6
Tamisha:  *just coming out of her house*  Hey, guys.
Shiko:  Good morning!  ^-^
Shalohim:  *mumbling*  'Morning, Miss Tamisha...
Alison:  Good morning!
Tamisha:  Yeah...
Tamisha:  *at Damien*  ~.-  Somethin' wrong?
Shalohim:  Anouuuuuuuuuu...  6.6
Shiko:  ^-^;;;  Nothing you need to worry about.  Let's just go!
Shalohim:  *nods*
Alison:  *smiles cheerfully*
Tamisha:  *at all of them*  ~.-
Tamisha:  Right.  *walks with them*
Shalohim:  *to Shiko, in Japanese*  "What did you tell her?  She doesn't 
seem bothered at all now..."
Shiko:  *same*  "Just the usual.  I hope that she really is dealing with 
it, not denying it.  At this point, either one seems possible."
Shalohim:  6.6  Sou...
Tamisha:  9.9  Them and their languages.
Tamisha:  Doesn't it drive you nuts, Ally?
Alison:  I've gotten used to it.
Alison:  It's amazing the things you can get used to.
Tamisha:  Well, it bugs me.
Shiko:  ^-^;;;  Sorry, Tamisha!
Shalohim:  *softer*  Sorry...
Tamisha:  Ah, it's okay.  *waves away the apologies*
Alison:  *hopes that was enough of a hint to Damien*
Shalohim:  *kinda gets it, but sticks with Shiko anyway*
*Fade to the beginning of Latin class.*
San:  *snoozing at his desk again*
Shalohim:  *sits at his desk doing the exercises*
Shiko:  *doodles*
Alison:  *does her own exercises*
San:  *secretly wondering if Alison's come to terms with everything*
Alison:  *finishes and gets up to hand them in*
San:  *looks up*  Done already, Alison?
Shalohim:  *wonders if he should put a note on his exercises about what
Alison said*
Alison:  *nods*  Yup!  They were easy!
Alison:  I think I've finally gotten used to doing it fast!
Alison:  *sits down again, wondering if that was enough of a hint, and 
thinks maybe not*
San:  *checks her work*
Shalohim:  *writes "all okay" on his exercises and goes up to hand them 
in*
San:  *sighs with relief when he reads this*
Shiko:  *hands in her well-decorated exercises*
Shiko:  *quietly, in the gutter Latin*  "The talk seems to have worked, 
but be careful anyway."
San:  *nods*  "Thanks."
Shiko:  ^-^V  *sits down*
Alison:  *guesses correctly that they were talking about her*
Shalohim:  *to Shiko, in the same accented Latin*  "Everything's okay? 
Really?"
Shiko:  *same*  "Looks that way."  ^____^
*The next day, in history class, all the students murmur as they notice 
that their normal, perverted teacher isn't there.  They murmur even more 
as a young woman comes into the classroom, smiling amiably.*
Shiko:  *is asleep at her desk*  Zzzzzzz...
Alison:  *pokes Shiko*
Shiko:  Nrgflfrf?
Shiko:  *waking up*  e.e?
Alison:  *whispers*  We have a sub...
Shiko:  That's nice...
Shiko:  *wakes up the rest of the way, looks and sees Kal*  0.0
Shiko:  *does a little victory dance in her seat*  Wai wai wai wai wai! 
Kal's here, Kal's here, Kal's here...
Kal:  *writes her name on the board*  Hello, class.  My name is 
Kassandra Miral.
Shiko:  And she has a spiffy new name!
Alison:  *whispers*  Who's she?
Kal:  I'm your substitute teacher for today.
Shiko:  *whispers back*  Old, old friend - I taught her how to use her 
powers way back in the days...
Alison:  Wow...
Shiko:  ^-^V  It's so great that she's here!
Shiko:  Shal and San will be so happy to hear this...
Random(Female) Student:  What happened to our normal teacher?
Kal:  *coughs and smiles in an embarrassed way*  He broke his arm in a 
(ahem) boating accident...
Shiko:  *snickers*
Alison:  *can tell that means something, but has no idea what*
Shiko:  *starts waving and speaking excitedly in Aramaic*  "Kal!  Kal, 
it's Shiko!  I'm so glad you're here!"
Kal:  *smiles, answers*  "I'm glad to see you too, Shiko."
Shiko:  ^_____^  "San and Shal have been giving me the most awful time, 
but I'm sure they'll be really glad to see you!"
Kal:  "I certainly hope so.  It's been a while..."
Shiko:  ^________^  "I'll try and find you at lunch, okay?  I don't want 
to disrupt the class too badly."
Kal:  *sweatdrops*  "Of course."
Shiko:  ^-^V  *settles down, but definitely looks genkier than before*
Alison:  *looks between them, then shrugs*
Shiko:  Sorry, Alison - just had to say "hi"...  ^-^;;;
Shiko:  We can all talk at lunch, okay?
Alison:  *nods*
Kal:  *opens a briefcase that was sitting on the desk*  Now, I know this 
is an American history class, but your teacher didn't leave a lesson plan, 
so I thought we'd do something a little different.
Shiko:  0.0  Oh, dear...
Kal:  *takes out a large map of the Mediterranean area and tapes it to 
the blackboard*
Shiko:  -.-  Damn.  I knew it...
Alison:  ?.?
Shiko:  *sighs*  Kal's lived through a lot of the Middle East's history.  
And she started out as a mercenary, so...
Alison:  Oh...
Shiko:  Well, let's just say she has her own unique perspective on the
matter.
Alison:  *nods wisely*
Shiko:  ^-^;;;
Shiko:  *has her own unique perspective of history, which happens to be
rather different from Kal's*
Kal:  *continues teaching, despite many students’ blank looks*
Kal:  *pulls a sword out of the briefcase*  Now, this is a reconstruction 
of the sword that *insert name of warrior king here* used to kill *insert
name of other warrior king here*.
Shiko:  0.0!
All Other Students:  0.0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alison:  O.O!!!
Random Male Student:  Holy shit!  That's AWESOME!
Shiko:  9.9
Kal:  Now, can I have a volunteer?
Male Student:  *raises his hand immediately*  ME ME ME!
Shiko:  -.-!!!
Shiko:  *raises her own hand*
Kal:  Shiko.
Shiko:  *grumbling in Aramaic again*  "Geez, Kal... this isn't ALLOWED, 
you know!"
Shiko:  *getting up*  "It's against the law to have weapons in these
schools..."
Kal:  *smiles indulgently*  "Not if they're being used for teaching, it
isn't."
Kal:  "Now, let's reconstruct the battle I just spoke of, shall we?"
Shiko:  -.-
Shiko:  *uses a pointer as a sword*
Shiko:  "One of these days I'm going to give you a reverse-blade sword, 
just to drive you nuts..."
Kal:  *shakes her head and brings another sword out of her briefcase*  
"And I'll learn how to use it and whack you with it."
Shiko:  -.-!!!  *takes the other sword*
Shiko:  *takes up the proper stance for the duel*
Kal:  *yells a battle cry and swings the sword at her*
Shiko:  *blocks, yelling back in Aramaic*  "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS END UP 
DOING THIS?!"
Alison:  O.O!!!
Shiko:  *attacks*
Kal:  "What do you mean?"  *blocks, kicks her so she falls down, then 
mock-stabs her in the back*
Shiko:  *fake-dying, gasps out*  "I swear, once a merc, always a merc..."
Kal:  *smiles sweetly at the gaping class*  And that's why *insert name 
of first warrior king here* was a backstabbing liar who rewrote history 
to make himself a hero!
Alison:  O.O;;;;
Shiko:  "Can I get up now, oh honored backstabbing liar?"
Kal:  *sticks her tongue out at her*  "Yes."
Shiko:  ^-^;;;  *gets up, dusts herself off, and sits down again*
Kal:  *puts the swords away*
Kal:  *starts elaborating on the warrior king she was just talking about*
Shiko:  @.@  Military training really took a good grip on her.
Shiko:  Two thousand years - more - and she's still a merc at heart...
Alison:  *nods*
Shiko:  ^-^;;;
*Fade to lunchtime.*
San:  *is doing lunch duty again today*
Shiko:  *drags Shal and Alison around while she looks for Kal*
Kal:  *is sitting outside, eating her lunch under a cherry tree*
Shiko:  *spots her*  There she is!
Shiko:  *runs over*  Hi again, Kal!
San:  *is patrolling campus for students who are smoking and stuff*
Kal:  *looks up and smiles*
Shalohim:  *being dragged*
Shalohim:  *waves at Kal*  Hi, Miss Kallahandra!
Shalohim:  It's really nice to see you again!
Kal:  Likewise, Shalohim.
Shalohim:  ^-^
Shiko:  *sits down with Shal next to her*  So, what brings you here?
Shiko:  Or should I wait and go find San first?
San:  *patrols past, not noticing them*
Shiko:  *waves*  San!  SAN!  Look who's here!
Shalohim:  It's Lady Kallahandra!
Shiko:  It's Kal!
San:  *comes over immediately*  Kal!
Shiko:  ^-^
Shalohim:  ^-^
Kal:  It's only me.  You don't have to get so excited.
Kal:  *pleased anyway*
Alison:  *just kinda standing there, looking slightly left out*
Shiko:  *notices, pulls her down to sit with them*  It's okay, Alison, 
Kal will explain.
Kal:  I will?  *looks mock-confused*
Shiko:  Yep!
Shiko:  We've told Alison.
Shalohim:  Everything.
Shiko:  Well, I haven't explained about CHAD - but I think that should
wait...
Kal:  *nods wisely*  Ah.
Shiko:  So you can speak freely.
Kal:  Oh, good.
Shalohim:  I'm really glad you're here, Lady Kallahandra, but why did 
you come?
Kal:  Well, I come bearing news.
Shalohim:  ?.?
Shiko:  ?.?  From Tim?
Kal:  Well, yes and no.
Kal:  It seems there's something really big being prepared.  *sounds all
mysterious*
San:  ?.?
Shiko:  @.@  Don't turn into an oracle on me, Kal, you're too practical.  
Tir is bad enough.
Shalohim:  Something - big?  By who?
Kal:  By the big guy himself.
Shalohim:  0.0
Shiko:  0.0
San:  O.O
Shiko:  I hate to sound like a dumb horror book, but this is NOT boding 
well.
Shalohim:  *looks at San*  Have you heard... anything...?
San:  *nervously*  I heard a rumor that something was going on, but 
that's all I thought it was...
Kal:  *looks serious*  Well, it wasn't just a rumor.
Shalohim:  6.6
Shiko:  Oh, boy...
Shiko:  *sighs*  I had a feeling about this one from the start...
Shalohim:  *almost inaudible*  Do you think...  Do you think something 
bad will happen?  Here?
Shalohim:  *gives Alison a worried, sideways glance*
Alison:  *notices the look, doesn't like the idea*
Kal:  *quietly*  I don't know...
Shiko:  *forcing a smile*  Well, whatever happens, at least we'll be 
here.
Shiko:  That counts for something, ne?
Shalohim:  6.6  I guess...
Kal:  *smiles too brightly*  Yeah!
Shalohim:  *gives San that strange not-quite-wistful look*
San:  *silent, thinking about how to save the entire city in case 
Armageddon occurs*
Shiko:  So, Kal, how long will you be staying?
Kal:  At least a few months.
Shiko:  V^-^V  Wai wai wai!
San:  ^__^
Shiko:  Maybe you can help me ride herd on these two, then!  *points at 
San and Shal*
Shalohim:  *looks guilty*
San:  *at Shiko*  -.-
Kal:  Sure!
Shiko:  *unrepentant*  ^-^
Shiko:  Well, that's a weight off my shoulders...
Shiko:  Now for lunch!
Kal:  *gives San an apologetic look as he mock-glares at her*
Shiko:  *digs into some vegetable dish she brought with her*  =d
Kal:  *having some pork chops*  =d
Shiko:  *at Kal's food*  >.<
Kal:  *at Shiko's food*  >.<
Shalohim:  *doesn't eat, as usual; just basks in the glow of being with 
all the people he cares about*