This is the number from the critterlocked website, so she says, "I'm a runecaster looking for a partnership. I can make containers bigger on the inside, and also" oh wow she's actually saying this it's actually happening "I've reverse-engineered the process of creating medallions and I'm looking to scale production and distribution. Mythic stood out as having relevant expertise."

"- we'd be absolutely delighted to work out distribution of medallions with you! What kind of volume should we expect?"

Huh, she had been semi-consciously expecting skepticism. Nice. "Eventually, something on the order of a few dozen a week if all goes well. I'm expecting a lot of demand, since I can do at least one and likely several species that aren't covered by pre-existing medallions."

"Do you have plans to scale up in the longer term?"

"I'm afraid there are some bottlenecks in the process that I haven't found a way around that make it harder to scale past a certain point." Even if and when Bella's species can be common knowledge, she isn't going to want to make medallions twenty-four/seven. And any conceivable way of getting more sphinxes is a can of worms big enough to count as a barrel.

"Okay. We have some standard option combinations that might suit you well - obviously you'll need the highest level of insurance and security on these parcels -"

"I'd also be interested in consulting with someone about the business side--this is my first venture on this scale, and I'm not an expert on things like forming a corporation and how critters handle taxes and so forth. I realize that isn't a thing you sell, but I bet you have people who know what they're doing and it would be really nice to talk to one." She is a high school student and she feels so incredibly fake right now despite this being the most honest she's been with a stranger in months.

"Hm, I can send around a memo about that in case anyone's informally interested or wants to provide consulting as a followon to the shipping service."

"I'd appreciate it. So, you said you had delivery options?" She can take notes on delivery options; depending on how time-crunched she ends up being, even expensive shipping could be more efficient than popping around sticking them in people's mailboxes.

"We do! The package I'd recommend to you includes the aforementioned security and insurance -" She goes on with the other features of the package she recommends.

Margaret writes all of this down. Some of the notes end up on the back of yesterday's junk mail and some end up on her arm, but none end up on the diagram paper and that's really the important part.

"Okay, thanks. And are you also interested in having any containers made larger on the inside than the outside, or are you mostly constrained on weight?"

"I'll need to talk with some of our logistics people about that! Weight is the standard thing to charge by but there may be situations where we're volume limited."

"Okay. I think that's everything, then."

"Thanks so much for calling! Can I get your number and name?"

She provides them. If that's all, she can go back to tracing diagrams until her eyes won't focus.

Yup, that's all.

If she does an embarrassingly large fraction of her homework on the bus the day it's due, she can have a respectable number of medallions ready (and their diagrams stacked up for recharging) by the next time Bella can visit. It's about 2/3 species that have no medallions and 1/3 species whose medallions are rare and expensive.

Bella comes by. "Hi! How've you been doing? I found a very extortable rich person."

"And I bet they're very happy you found them! I found a company that knows stuff about shipping things to Avalons and I mentioned that I was looking for help with the business side; hopefully one of them will smell money and if not at least I have shipping sorted out. And I have an update to the web store all ready to go with the new listings once we're done here."

"You're really on top of things, aren't you." She sets about recharging diagrams.

"Thanks! I miiiight have not gotten enough sleep some of the past few nights. Don't worry, though, I'm not tired enough today to risk messing up my timing." She has the diagrams for the sphinx-magic step all rolled up together, and unrolls them into a stack on the floor.

Recharge recharge recharge. "Are you sure? Should you be taking little cognitive tests to screen for being tireder than you feel?"

"I got a normal amount of sleep last night, and when I stay up late it's to do my schoolwork; I do the diagrams first when I'm the most awake. But I can definitely start checking if it will make you more comfortable." She resolves to start checking regardless; harming or inconveniencing Bella in any way is just about the last thing she wants.

"I don't know how much of a hassle you'd find it and maybe it really isn't called for," Bella shrugs.

"No, it's a good thought. On a different subject, I'm thinking of selling some medallions to magic stores if we turn out to be able to keep ahead of website demand, since not all critters shop on the internet. Possibly skipping the Seattle one in case the owner is still mad."