//Excellent. I'll be there just as soon as...// Into the container went the frog, and Jono paused to make sure there was enough moisture to last them the trip. He'd stop at a pet shop for crickets when they got where they were going. //... As I get in there.//

A few moments later, in Jono came, carrying two pets and an empty carrier.

...

//Really?//

Well, it had worked.

//Here,// Jono sighed, setting Joni and Hendrix down and making his way to the suitcase to collect Beethoven. //I'll remedy that.//

Good luck with that one if Beethoven saw the carrier, Starsmore.

Jono slid one hand under Beethoven's front legs, and then did his best to get the other under his behind, scooping up the armload of cat and giving Hannibal a nod.

//You get the carrier, I'll cram him in there?//

Manhandling Beethoven into one of those things was a two person job at least.

And now they had two angry cats and one very mellow frog, as Jono closed the door on Beethoven and latched it shut.

//Cranky old bloke has no idea how lucky he is right now,// Jono muttered, stepping back to survey the small menagerie. //Ah well. He'll like it at the mansion. Unless something blows it up, I suppose.//

Just go ahead and jinx it, Jono, sure.

//God, yes. Please, let's.// Jono grabbed his suitcase, tucked Hendrix neatly under one armpit, and then picked up Joni's bag. //The sooner we get the hell away from that, the sooner we... well, don't have to listen to it, mostly.//

Which was a win in Jonothon's book.

Ah, but at least they'd shut up eventually, or wander off and scream elsewhere.

//Oh thank God,// Jono muttered, stalking across the lawn toward the mansion, equally relieved to hear that Joni was calming down a little, too.

"..." said the sun.

Jono gave his shoulders a shrug.

//Nothing that Logan saw fit to warn me about recently, and everyone looks more or less in one piece and in a decent frame of mind. I don't suppose, 'it's nearly the weekend' warrants a warning, does it?//

It was hard to tell around here.

//Safest bet,// Jono agreed, nodding down at one of the students as they came to investigate the cats. Of course now Joni was being a little angel, purring and rubbing her face against the fingers poking through the bars of her carrier.

Traitor.

//In is quiet. Definite points in favour of in, right there.//

//I can't imagine anybody will complain. And there's no shortage of hungry mouths here who'd be happy to enjoy your cooking,// Jono mused. //Should be easy enough to arrange, unless it's Doop's turn to cook, that night.//

Jono had no idea how to handle Doop.

//Careful, you'll end up with your own cooking show or something,// Jono teased, nodding again at the student before they wandered off to their next class. //I really wouldn't be surprised.//

//I'd probably watch it, anyway. Maybe I'd learn a thing or two about cooking something that isn't fish and chips or chicken tikka masala.//

Hannibal would pry Jono's greasy chip techniques from his cold, dead hands.

//You can,// Jono agreed, turning an amused look toward Hannibal, //but where's the novelty in that?//

There was no television involved! None!

//Which might even come in handy one of these days?// Jono tilted his head slightly. //I'll consider it, perhaps. After all, the only person I really have to feed, unless you count whenever it's my turn to cook for the cafeteria here, is you.//