Which, characteristically, she writes down. "I guess if we spend long enough being total nerds that day I can just drive us there."

"That...would probably be useful for making sure my sister doesn't shove me in a tuxedo or something similarly ridiculous."

"Would that be something she'd do?"

"I don't know if she would do that specifically, but, well--I've never been on a date before, and she's been known to get...enthusiastic about things."

"Maybe I should be glad I'm an only child."

"Oh, if I really don't want her to she won't. She'd only do that kind of thing if she thought we'd find it funny that she had. And I love her dearly. She can be trying at times, I do admit, but I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world."

"Awww."

"We're not very much alike, but we are close. I was...a little jealous, I admit, when she met Daphne; she's as extroverted as I'm not, but she usually doesn't get as close to people as she has to Daphne. But she makes her happy, so."

"...Are they dating or just friends?"

"I am genuinely unsure whether they're significant others or friends with benefits."

"Jaromira won't tell you?"

"I don't think she's sure. Or Daphne. They...I did talk to Jaromira about it. The short version is that they had a moderately confusing conversation about their feelings the only productive conclusion of which was that they 'weren't using labels,' for whatever that's worth."

"Huh. That would drive me nuts."

"Part of the circumstances are that Daphne was spending most of her emotional energy dealing with the aftermath of her first transformation. She..." he trails off. "It isn't my place to tell the whole story, but when she acquired her medallion, it led to some other things becoming known that were harder to deal with."

"Oh... I can see how that would be awkward. I'm not sure which of my parents it is. And it's a little expensive to try to find out."

"Yes. ...Which one do you think it would be better if it was?"

"Ren, definitely. She'd like it. Charlie would as soon not bother."

"It does sound fun. Wyverns seem like the best thing to be, to be honest. Various kinds of avians as well, but I prefer scales to feathers. I'd say dragons if they weren't extinct, probably." He pauses, going over what he just said and winces. "...In terms of, you know, fun--please don't tell anyone I just said that, it must sound terribly speciesist or something."

"I don't think I'd mind having fur or feathers," says May. "And I don't have enough immersion in critter culture to even say if that's speciesist or not."

"Under the circumstances, I think it would be unwise to assume it wasn't. Knowing less about the culture means I ought to be more careful, not less." After a moment he adds, "I don't think I'd mind fur or feathers either. I find scales more aesthetic, but I wouldn't be displeased with feathered wings."

"Maybe when I make friends who've been in critter culture longer I can ask."

"That seems likely. How did you find out what you were, if it's not too personal?"

"Literally found my medallion outside on the ground. I'm just lucky nobody saw me except an old bugbear lady. She calmed me down and got me back into shape."

"That must have been frightening."

"Well, I thought I was probably dreaming for much of it, but yes, I was sure startled."