Lynea noticed the two first. She froze in place, then tapped Feris on the arm without taking her eyes off the doorway. Feris turned, and then the whole room turned their heads, six faces arriving on Raizen at once with an identical expression on all of them.
The lizard put its foot down.
"Ah," it said. "The parents are home."
"What the-" Raizen started.
"Too late. Story's momentum's already gone."
Arashi got up so fast almost knocked the small table with his knee. "Raizen. Raizen. There is a talking lizard in the living room."
"I can see that—"
"There is a talking animal in Kori's living room—"
"I'm aware, Arashi, I can see it, it's right there—"
Feris was still cross-legged on the floor, boots off, pointing with both hands. "We came to get you for lunch, nobody was home, and it was just sitting on the stairs. Sitting, half on its tail or something!"
"I was waiting," said the lizard.
"IT WAS WAITING."
Raizen shut the door behind him, mostly to buy three seconds.
