Artemis blinked, a slightly troubled expression crossing his face. That was it: Mihai was one of Badou's associates from his world, the one that thought Badou should stop smoking. It had been a rather serious confrontation, as Artemis remembered it, so the thought that he couldn't put a few details together...

He'd have to be very, very careful around mealtimes.

"Ah yes, that's right," Artemis smiled, wiping his distressed look away. "So much happens in a few days--and the past few have not been especially kind to me, as you've probably already noted," he said, briefly indicating his sling with his fork. "I apologize for not recognizing your name sooner."

He picked at his food, making as though he had every intent of eating, though he was slightly lost in his own thoughts. He wasn't going to bring up the argument concerning Badou and his nasty habit, mostly because he figured both he and Mihai were rather deeply entrenched in their positions. He could see the benefits of both sides, though now he couldn't see denying Badou anything. Not when Badou was the one of two people holding him together. Did he even have the energy to argue while he was stuck with a dozen screaming voices and hundreds of muttering ones?

"I'm undergoing puberty at the moment, though frankly I believe that even if it passed me by tomorrow, I would still feel uncomfortable showering in front of strangers. I'm not used to such circumstances, and I don't intend to assimilate to anything Landel believes I should assimilate to." Sean included. "Even after three weeks, I still have my dignity if nothing else," he said, examining a flaw in his plastic fork. "Even if I'm at the most awkward and trying stage of my life--both developmentally and circumstantially."

He looked back up at Mihai. "Any particular reason you seem to lose your way so drastically?"