"Hi, I don't think we've met.  I'm Jim, and you are?".
    Kexrouth and Owen both turned their heads to look at Jim as he put down the grocery bags and stretched his shoulders.
     "Those things are heavy.", he commented to no-one in particular, "So, where were we?  Oh, introductions.".
     Kexrouth stood up and walked over to Jim.
     "Hi, I'm Kenrick.  Umm, There was a little mistake here the other day when the add was in the paper.  It turns out that Murray promised Owen the apartment, and Robert promised it to me.  Since Owen got it an hour before I did, he got it, but was nice enough to let me sleep on his couch until I could find a place.".
     Kexrouth shook Jim's hand, ignoring the questioning look on his face.
    "Do you mind if I ask a question?", Jim asked.
     Kexrouth shrugged his shoulders, "Sure.".
     "You're dressed kind of expensively for a guy who needs a cheap apartment...".
     Kexrouth smiled and nodded, "I was VP of a 'dot com'.  I lost everything except most of my clothes and a few hundred I had in savings bonds.  I just got back from an interview.".
     "Oh, sorry.", Jim winced.  He didn't notice Owen's sigh of relief.
     "It's okay.  I should have seen it coming.  I'm just glad I didn't lose the shirt off my back.".
     Jim laughed, "And here I thought you were the voice from the closet.".
     Kexrouth gave him a quizzical look, "Private joke?".
     "Something like that.".
     Owen interrupted, "Jim, there's a tray and some beer in the fridge.  Do you mind?".
     "No.  I'll get it.  Back in a minute.", he said before he ducked into the hallway.
     "Kenrick?", Owen asked.
     "I knew a Kenrick.  It was a few years ago, so you wouldn't know him.", Kexrouth smiled.
     "Was he a friend of yours?".
     "No, he was a real git.  Can't say I miss him.", Kexrouth replied.
     "When did you know him?".
     "Umm, I met him in 1432, I think.", Kexrouth scratched at his goatee.
     Jim came back with the tray of food and rest of the beer.
     "Not much of a spread, just veggies and cheese.", Jim commented disappointedly.  He put everything on the coffee table and peeled off the plastic wrap.
     "Edwin's a vegetarian.  Free food is still free food.".
     Jim put the tray on the table, "So are we going to watch a movie or not?".
     "Umm, that's what I was planning.", Kexrouth said.
     "Any suggestions?", Jim looked around.
     "I don't know half of these.", Kexrouth shrugged.
     "Is this the first run in the A/V room?", Jim looked at Owen.
     "I've been unpacking all day.", Owen lied.
     "Inaugural run of the set-up.  Castle of Cagliostro it is.", Jim said as he dug into the box of unpacked DVDs.
     Owen sat up and grabbed a couple of carrots and some unidentified white cheese from the tray.  He let Jim start the movie while Kexrouth got the grocery bags from beside the door.  He unpacked the snack food while Jim sat down and helped himself to a can of beer.

     "That was great!  I've never been in a room with that many speakers, outside of electronics shops and theaters.", Jim was nearly bouncing from excitement.
     "Well, Grandpa said to buy myself something nice with the money he left me.", Owen said as he put the leftovers in the fridge.
     "I have to be at work in five hours, so I really need to get going.  I'll see you on Friday, okay?".
     "I'm working Friday.  You'd better take your phone, just in case.".
     "Yeah, grabbed it already.  I meant to tell you.".
     "Thanks for lending it to me.  It's come in handy.  Oh, her name is Beth.", Owen said as he shuffled the contents of his refrigerator.
     "Who?  Oh, the girl!  Did she actually talk to you?", Jim chuckled mockingly.
     Owen responded indignantly, "Yes, and she told me that she's single.".
     "Hmm...", Jim said rubbing his chin, "Methinks the lady might be interested.".
     "I hope so.", Owen sighed.  He finally fit everything into the fridge and closed it triumphantly.
     "Didn't you have to go?", Owen reminded Jim.
     "Right, right!  I see you later.  Call me when the phone's hooked up!  Bye, Kenrick!  Nice meeting you!", Jim called out.
     "Same here.  I might see you next time your over!".
     "Well, let's hope that you find a place and it's only a visit then.".
     "Thanks, but I'm not holding my breath.".
     "Bye, Owen.  I'm talk to you later.", Jim said as he walked out the door.
     Owen locked the door after him, and went into the A/V room.  Kexrouth had changed back into his lizard form and was using a long claw to stab wrappers and putting them in the garbage pail.
     "Don't worry, I'm being careful.  Not a scratch, see!", he stated proudly as he waved his hand slowly over the coffee table.
     Owen sat down heavily on the chair.  He sat with his head craned back so he could stare at the ceiling, closed his eyes and stuck his legs out as far as he could.  He let his arms hang loose over the sides, and sat limp while Kexrouth cleaned around him.
     After a few minutes the sounds of cleaning stopped, and he could hear Kexrouth in the hallway, sifting through the pantry.
     "Are you hungry again?", Owen asked.
     "Umm, no, I'm just looking for the wood cleaner.  There's a spill on the coffee table and I want to clean it up.".
     "Just use a paper towel, they're in the kitchen.  I don't have any wood cleaner.".
     "Umm, I see it.  Phil was fussy about that sort of thing.  He had a shelf full of cleaners for everything.".
     Kexrouth came back into the room with a handful of paper towels.  After wiping off the table, he preceded to dust off the television and the rest of the entertainment center.
     "So this is what Phil had you do to stay here?", Owen asked.
     "Umm, yes.  I don't mind.  It keeps me busy.".
     "How much do you need to eat?".
     "Umm, I keep a garden in the pocket dimension, so I don't need much.".
     Owen sat himself up in the chair and looked at Kexrouth.  Kexrouth kept dusting, humming a tune unfamiliar to Owen.
     Owen remained quiet for a few seconds before saying, "Okay, you can stay.".
     Kexrouth stopped in mid motion, and spun around to face Owen.
     "Really?", he asked hopefully.
     "Just don't break anything, and don't bother me when I'm sleeping.".
     Kexrouth smiled at Owen, a bizarre expression on his scaly face.
     "One more thing.", Owen added, "Do you mind if I call you Kenrick?  It's less conspicuous than Kexrouth.".
     "I don't mind," Kenrick replied excitedly, "not at all.".
     "Okay, now that that's settled, I'm going to bed.  I'm a deep sleeper, so I won't wake up when you come into the room.  Do I need to worry about anything coming out of the closet and killing me?".
     "No, humans can't pass through the barrier.  Umm, I made sure when I created it, but I've never tested it.  Nothing happened to Phil, though.".
     "That's good enough.  Goodnight, Kenrick.", Owen said as he stood up and walked out of the room.
     "Goodnight, Owen.", Kenrick said as he went back to his cleaning.
     Owen went into his room and changed out of his clothes.  He made his bed and slipped under the sheets, staring up at the ceiling.
     "Great,", he said quietly to himself, "I'm living at the centre of an inter dimensional turf war, I've just had a cute and violent girl come into my life, and I've got a demon living in my closet.  My life has become anime!".
     Though he tried as hard as he could, Owen couldn't suppress a smile.

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