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After speaking with Dr. Duvert, Joshua was feeling much better. Now that he knew the rabbit was fake, he didn't feel quite so queasy anymore - in fact, he realized he was actually rather hungry. He left his duplex (again, making sure to lock it behind him, especially now that he knew the students enjoyed playing pranks on the new people), and he headed towards the buildings in search of a place to eat.

It wasn't too long before he managed to find the cafeteria, and he was pleased to see there was a nice variety of foods to pick from. He helped himself to a salad, adding some chicken on top of it. After a moment of debating, he decided to eat here instead of taking the food back with him to his duplex. It was empty right now anyway; and even if someone else did come in, it would be nice to have some company. As long as they didn't try to play a joke on him.

Joshua had just been cutting up his chicken when the cheetah girl walked into the cafeteria, and he looked up to see who it was that entered the room. Was she... naked? Joshua couldn't quite tell, watching the girl as she made herself a plate of food and sat down right across from him.

Indeed, she wasn't wearing clothes at all.

And was that fur?

He quickly averted his eyes politely, wondering why this woman wasn't wearing any clothes. One thing was certain - this island was full of very unique people. Maybe this girl was just playing a prank on him, too - or maybe it was just something she was studying. The fur, the fangs, the claws, the animal-like muzzle - was it body modification?

When the girl spoke to him, he still didn't move his eyes back to look at her. The nudity made him uncomfortable, even though she didn't seem to have any problem with it at all. He wondered how many more unusual situations he was going to find himself in on this island.

"Colche? It's - it's very nice to meet you, Colche. My name is Professor Rivers, I just arrived here very recently," he said. "I hope you don't think rude of me to ask this, but - why are you not wearing any clothes?"

Joshua finally looked at the girl, then, as she tried to pronounce his name. It was hard to tell if she was faking it or not, but she seemed to genuinely have trouble pronouncing it. Why was she on this island if she didn't know what a professor was? After his run in with Kaveri and Zachery, the fact that Colche didn't have to - and, as it appeared, didn't want to - wear clothes, Joshua was not too surprised at this. While he still wasn't comfortable with her nudity, he supposed it was just something he would have to get used to.

He assumed she must be a student - she seemed to young to be a teacher, and even more so if she didn't even know what a professor was. Perhaps she was from another country, and did not know how to speak English very well yet?

Joshua smiled at the cheetah girl. "Yes, that's right. Pro-fes-sor Riv-ers," he said, but he said his name a little slower, letting the girl hear the words and how he pronounced them in hopes she would be able to catch on. "But, if you like, you can call me by my first name, if that is easier for you. My first name is Josh."

As he spoke, he watched the cheetah girl's tail twitch beside her. It must be something like Zachery's tail and wings. Why would she want to be modified in such a way? Joshua couldn't understand the appeal of wanting to do such a thing to one's body.

"A professor is someone who teaches things to people, so that they can learn new things," he explained. "I mostly teach English Literature, which means I teach people about books and writing."

Okay, then. So Colche could also obviously purr. That... is strange. It sounded very real, too - very cat-like, instead of a human making purring sounds. Well. There would obviously be a simple explanation for how she did it.

Joshua smiled, pleased that the girl seemed eager to learn. "I like to read, too. I would love to teach you, Colche. That's what I'm here for." Of course, he thought that he was here to teach everyone, not just Colche. He didn't have a teaching schedule yet - but he figured starting a little early, at least with the cheetah girl, wouldn't hurt. It was something that he could keep himself busy with, at least.

He thought he would have to start with something easy for her, but he didn't think he had any books her level. "Colche, do you have any books that you don't know how to read, yet? Maybe we can start with one of your princess story books," he said with a smile.

Joshua caught notice of her feline-like tongue. Even her tongue was modified!? That seemed a little too advanced for body modification... and Colche didn't even really seem the type to want body modifications in the first place. She seemed far too young and innocent. But what else could it be? For a moment, Joshua remembered what Kaveri and Zachery were telling him - everyone is turning into animals - but he quickly shook off that thought.

No. Nobody is turning into animals; even Dr. Duvert laughed at the very idea.

"Ahhh, yes, Charlotte's Web. A good book," Joshua said, thinking that the book might be a little too advanced for her. Maybe he would have to look thought her books and see what she had. If not, he figured he'd be able to work through Charlotte's Web with her well enough.

He blinked when she pointed at his face. "My glasses?" he asked, taking his glasses off. "Well, I use them because I can't see very well without them. Most of the time, I only need them when I read." He smiled at the complement. "Thank you, Colche. I think you are very nice, too! Do you want to try the glasses on? They will probably make things look weird," he said, holding out his glasses to her. "Just be gentle with them."

Joshua chuckled as she tried on the glasses, and when she handed them back, he put the glasses back on his face. He had been started when their hands touched - well, her hands seemed more like paws. But his mind still refused to believe it. Somehow, it was fake; somehow, Joshua believed there was a reasonable explanation as to why the cheetah girl's fur seemed so real. After all, Dr. Duvert wouldn't lie to him.

"Yes, they are better for me. They help me see, but you don't need them if you can already see well." When Colche began to eat again, he began to eat his own food as well, having almost forgotten about eating at all during their conversation.

"Hmm? I'm sorry, I don't think I understand what you mean. What am I going to be?" he said, repeating her question. He didn't understand what she meant by that. Princess cheetah? Indeed, the markings on her fur did look like they belonged on a cheetah...

Pretty? Well, no one had ever called him that before, but it made Joshua smile anyway.

That is, until she began to talk about animals. He was disappointed that she seemed to be in on the little joke, as well. He had hoped she was better than them, she seemed like such a sweet girl, despite her odd appearance. "Colche, I'm not changing into anything. Dr. Duvert already told me that people are not turning into animals, here... I'm not turning into anything. I'd rather not play this joke anymore. Please, Colche."

Joshua smiled when she told her joke, even though she didn't say the joke the right way - instead telling the whole thing herself rather than letting him say the parts he would have been supposed to say. He couldn't help thinking how cute it was - especially when she scrunched her nose up like that. "That's a very good joke, Colche! I like those kinds of jokes much better."

When she had moved her ears, they distracted him, and he couldn't help noticing them. He wished he could understand how they worked, so they wouldn't weird him out so much. Would she know how to explain? "Colche, tell me... do you know how you became a - princess cheetah?" he asked, using the words she had used to describe herself.