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Richard's mood had rebounded since he had met the strange counciler, Charlie, the other day. The man had give him a good laugh, granted at his expense but it had pull Richard out of his funk. Not even the frustration of not finding a match to his arms and tentacles in the library's pitifull mythology section had been able to pull down Richard's smile.

The talk of Moreau and Aubrey's difficulties and Charlie's own reluctance to talk about it had sent Richard's brain percolating with ideas that he hadn't had since his own transformation. Even his shoulder felt pretty good today.

He walked through the doors, whistling a tune off key.

Richard's hearing wasn't great anymore and didn't hear the quiet twinkle of Shenzi's fork. He homed in on the food counter like a missle. Piling his plate high with roast beef, potates and warm dinner rolls. His appetite hadn't quiet been the same since the halloween party and he was determined to make up for lost time.

Mission accomplished he scanned to rather empty dinning hall for persons. A good conversation to go with a good meal. He spotted a rather well, blue youth sitting at a table by herself. He seemed familar but Richard didn't quite place her. She looked rather pale and seemed to be pointedly not looking in his direction.

Maybe he could cheer the poor girl up. He sauntered over to her table and flashed her a friendly grin, although it revealed his enlarged canines. "Mind if I join you miss?"

Richard sat down across from the the obiviously nervous woman. He found the juxaposition of her hair and her mannerisms odd. Usually youths with hair like that weren't the shy type. She seemed so familar for some reason. He studied her for a moment with his head cocked slightly to the left. His tentacles curled into a loose striking position, as if their heart wasn't quite in it.

Then it clicked... Richard's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh dear, I do believe I owe you an apology." Well he had apologized at the time but it had not been very sincere.

Fortunately for Richard, he was only very loosely aware the connotations of that tentacles have among the more anime influnced youth and did not dwell upon it. Indeed since Erica's had been his one and only lover any sort of arousal was quickly drowned in the grief that such memories invoked. His mind had learned to avoid such thoughts.

He was surprised at her accent. Was she Russian? No matter. He extended his left hand, the polished wedding band gleaming under the artifical light. "The name's Richard Harrison, just call me Richard." He smiled easily. "I'm afriad I haven't caught your name either."

"Nice to to meet you Shenzi." Richard's grip was firm and he didn't release Shenzi's hand until the handshake had completed.

He attempted to make eye contact, his blue eyes searching out hers. "A stage name? Your a performer then? Rock band if I were to swing a guess. From the hair at least." He picked up his knife and started to spread butter on his rolls.

"Wild Glory eh? Sounds loud." He winked. He gave up following music in the seventies and even then he hadn't been that in touch. Erica had been the musical one, at least she chose the music and he listened to it.

He took a bite out his roll. "You sound a bit out of sorts." He observed.

"Oh, yes. My trouble making little friends." It was Richard's turn to look down at his plate with a gulity smile. In truth he had hit her with his forarm but if she wanted to blame the tentacles that was fine with him. They were easier to explain.

He very carefully reached back and grabbed the left tentacle, just behind the club. It squirmed some as he pulled it forward infront of him. "I've got a better handle on them now. I don't have direct control exactly, but I've found a mental safety switch if you will." As long as she didn't grab them when he wasn't prepared for it thay'd be fine.