[sylvanSpider]

Z e k e
Zeke walked in, bag slung over his shoulder like he did everyday. No one bat an eye at George anymore and it quickly became obvious that he was a regular at this place. He'd had George registered as a therapy animal, which for all intents and purposes would only allow her in the dorms, but she was so well-behaved and didn't shed that they just let her in. Now, the little dragon was perched on his shoulder, her tail curving around to rest on his other shoulder. He inhaled deeply and grinned, “Home sweet home. Me? Oh I usually just get whatever the special is or the ol' reliable Red Eye. That one's good for study because it's loaded with caffeine.”

They took their place in line and Zeke's black eyes drifted to the special board, “I'll have that.”

“Sure thing, Zeke! How's little George doing today?” the barista asked, reaching over the counter to scratch George under the chin to receive a happy chirp from the creature in return.

“She's fine. Happy to meet new friends as usual,” Zeke grinned back. The bartender's gaze shifted to his companion.

“And for her?”

“I've got it.”

“As expected, Zeke. Go ahead and sit down, we'll bring your drinks right out.”

Zeke motioned for her and they took a seat by the window. Other species were often disconcerted with the black eyes of Zeke's, but his smile could dispel any negative feelings almost instantly, and now was no exception. His black and silver eyes shone as he rest his bag on his lap pulling out one of the books, “You said you wanted to look at one? This one is my current Bible. I use it for everything. It's uh...actually fictional, but it's what was considered 'realism,' so it closely reflected the day to day life of the author. Of course, it's Euro-centric, and still in English as opposed to Galactic Common. You can find the translations on the web, but not the original. I'm pretty good with English, but the rest of it...Sheesh, I can only pick up a few words here and there.” He leaned back watching her take the book in her hands. “This is one of the oldest books I'm able to take home. The rest must be studied in the library as they are worried about the condition. Thankfully, I've got connections, so I'm actually allowed to handle them...”

The familiar android stopped by the table, drinks in hands and set them down in front of their respective owners, Zeke thanked her and promptly took the top off of his, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a small pouch containing a white powder. This he emptied into his drink and stirred it around. “So tell me about your studies. What do you plan on doing with it? Translation, probably?”

M a g a l i

Magali grinned, “I'd like that very much, actually. They must have taken species into consideration as well. Felis don't sleep often either. More than your kind, I'm sure, but we are back up to normal after three or four hours' rest.” She didn't mention that this was yet another reason felis were so sought after; their perseverance was remarkable and unlike their feline counterparts were able to be...working...late into the night without tiring.

She took the pamphlet barely having a chance to glance at it before being tugged along by her excited roommate. “Well of course ours is the best. We're here and it's full of artists! I don't think we'll ever get bored...” She followed along, half dragged, with a giddy smile on her face. Thoughts of her village disappeared behind them and she now was looking forward to the future. It was certainly going to be a semester to remember. “Hey, careful what you say about those nutjobs! I'm probably going to be one of them!”