So... you've got a lot of time on your hands? [He shoots an uncertain glance in the emu's direction - it can't peck him or anything through one of these, can it?] I guess that's cool... But yeah, that kind of secret, exactly. The kind you don't want to see. In psychology I heard they call it a Shadow, but maybe that doesn't tell you much on its own.

[He shrugs. Then again, he thinks, he adopted a bear once. He's probably in no position to judge. Even if, jeez, it's hard to imagine what kind of friend could dump a pet on someone and take a vacation at a time like this.

...Hold on.]

Hey, by "gets back", you don't mean...?