Author's Note: This story takes place during the time frame of the first episode "Escape to Sherman High". I found the jump from the heroes hiding out in a cave to their first day of school a bit jarring, so I decided to fill in the gaps somewhat. It was also sort of an exercise in getting used to writing for them. As with all fanfics, beware of spoilers!

Roughing It

Ilana smiled with bright, shiny eyes. "What a perfect hiding place!"

Lance looked at her with dismay. "You're joking, right?"

The two Galalunian teens were watching the visuals Octus had found of what high school on Earth was like. The scenes of what human teenagers did there had been rather disturbing to Lance, yet Ilana seemed to think the opposite. She didn't answer him when he asked if she was joking. Instead she looked at the images more closely and rubbed her chin in thought, studying the appearances of the Earthlings in the video.

"We need new clothes." Ilana said finally. "In order to disguise ourselves as humans, we must dress the way they do."

"Agreed." Octus said, his voice a flat, electronic monotone. "That building we visited earlier was a major retailer called Floor Mart. Among other things, they sell clothing there."

Lance's face fell. The princess wasn't joking, and the robot was going along with it. They were actually serious about this crazy plan, and it was up to him to stop it. "Hold on. If we go back to that place, the humans will panic. Didn't you hear how that woman screamed when she saw us?"

Octus shut off his video display then. Darkness fell inside the cave but the single optic lens in the robot's translucent body continued to glow, providing some muted light. As he addressed Lance, his light flickered with each word. "The human female's negative reaction was most likely due to the strangeness of my appearance. You and the princess resemble the Earthlings more closely, so it will be less difficult for you to assimilate with them."

Lance frowned and quickly came up with a rebuttal. "Well, even if we could get into this Floor Mart place, we don't have the money to buy anything there."

"That should not be a problem." Octus said, his tone exactly the same as before. "I believe I have the capability to fabricate the currency needed for purchasing goods on this world."

Ilana placed her hands on her hips, a satisfied smile on her freckled face. "Then it's settled! When morning comes, Lance and I will return to the Floor Mart retailer and purchase human disguises. After that, we can enter the local high school and look for a more comfortable residence in the village."

"We don't need to look for a more comfortable residence." Lance retorted. "We're safer if we stay where we are."

Ilana frowned at him. "But if we stay here we can't blend in with the society. We're supposed to hide among the humans, not from them."

"Correct." Octus said. "Our mission is to assimilate with the Earthlings. We also have no way of knowing how long it will be before we can return to Galaluna. We must therefore be prepared to live on this planet for an extended period of time."

Lance glared at the robot and the princess. He still thought the plan was crazy, but he couldn't think of an argument that would change their minds. Ilana was clearly determined to go through with it, and Octus had sided with her as though it was all perfectly logical. Lance glared at Ilana a little longer. She glared back at him. At last he folded his arms over his chest. "Fine. We'll follow your plan in the morning, princess, but tonight we stay in here." He turned to address the robot. "Octus, you and I will take turns standing guard."

"There is no need." Octus replied. "My power level is high enough that I can stand guard throughout the night. You and the princess spent a good deal of energy in battle, so both of you should rest."

While her guardians talked, Ilana seated herself on the dirt floor near the back of the cave and huddled against the stone wall. She covered her mouth with one hand to stifle a yawn and realized that she was exhausted. This cave in the forest on this unfamiliar world was definitely not as comfortable as her royal chambers back home, but it would have to do for now.

Many hours later, Ilana awoke to the sound of birds chirping. She was cold and her muscles were sore, but she pushed herself up and pulled her fingers through her blonde hair to remove the bits of leaves and twigs stuck in it. She peered sleepily at her surroundings, and for an instant she didn't recognize where she was. Then she heard a familiar electronic voice nearby. "Good morning." A beam of sunlight was shining through a crack in the cave's ceiling and Octus was standing directly across from her. The robot had no face to show expression with, but his tone had sounded a bit more cheerful than usual.

Ilana raised herself into a sitting position and tried to give a cheerful response. "Good morning, Octus." As she stood and brushed some dirt from her dress, she glanced around and saw that the third member of their group was missing. "Where is Lance?"

"He has gone into the forest to search for food." Octus replied. "I am to keep watch over you until he returns."

"I see." Ilana said, frowning a bit. She could tolerate the robot's company more than the soldier's, but it still bothered her that he'd gone off on his own. "I hope he doesn't attack any humans again."

"Relax. I didn't." Ilana spun around in surprise. Somehow Lance had shown up at the cave's entrance without making any sound. His hair and uniform looked dirtier than before, and he was carrying a pair of small furry animals in one hand. He walked straight up to Octus and held the two little corpses out in front him. "Check if they're safe to eat."

The robot scanned them and had an answer in seconds. "These small mammalian organisms are called rabbits. And yes, they are safe to eat."

Ilana tried not to stare in disgust at the dead animals by focusing on Lance instead. "How did you manage to catch those things without any weapons? Didn't you lose your rifle last night?"

He looked at her with a smug expression. "Yeah, but I didn't need it for these." With his other hand he produced a small pocket knife. "We can cook them after I've removed their skins and organs."

She shuddered and started to move toward the cave's exit. "That's…nice. I'll just step outside while you're busy."

He blocked her path. His smugness had vanished without a trace and his steely eyed glare was back in full force. "You're not going out there by yourself."

Instead of getting annoyed with him, Ilana looked uncomfortable. "Please, Lance. This is important and I must do it alone. I promise it will only take a few minutes."

He arched a confused eyebrow. "What's so important that you can't do it in here with us?"

She started fidgeting and her freckled cheeks reddened. Then she gestured for him to lean down, cupped a hand around her mouth and whispered in his ear. "I need to powder my nose."

Octus could still hear what she said anyway with his heightened auditory receptors, but he didn't know what the euphemism meant. Judging from Lance's expression of surprise, however, the young soldier understood it immediately.

Trying not look flustered, he stepped out of Ilana's path. "Okay, go ahead. Just be quick about it." Without another word the princess hurried away from the cave and out of sight. Once she was gone Lance sat down on a boulder and began skinning one of his rabbits.

Octus had been watching the whole scene with confusion. When he spoke the feeling was evident in his voice. "Is it really a good idea to leave the princess unattended while she … powders her nose?"

Lance did not look up from his work. "Trust me. She doesn't need any attendance to do that."

The End