"How so? I've encountered the concept, I've got a sketch of an idea of what it's like on a societal level, but I don't think I have much of an idea of what it's like on a personal level." 

"...I spring really, really badly. In the babies way, not the sex way, the sex way is manageable for me. If nothing unexpected comes up Anevar and I are probably going to get married before next spring--last spring there weren't population controls but I didn't have a partner yet and I don't, actually, want to be a single parent because I was in a hurry, or worse have to split custody with someone I don't really like--but it was hard, I had to get Amila to help me restrain myself from doing anything stupid even with one-and-done birth control at the start of spring."

"Huh. I want kids, for sure, but I wouldn't describe myself as being in anything resembling a hurry about them." 

"That is incredibly weird."

"Well, I also don't want to be a single parent, and I haven't met anyone I wanted to marry. What would you have done if you hadn't met Anevar?"

"More dating sites." 

"--Okay, I guess it makes sense that those exist."

"They're reportedly pretty good at their job for people who don't put 'ex-red' in their profile," says Anevar.

"If I were ex-red I don't think I would want to date anyone who'd be scared off by that. Actually, I don't think I would want to date such a person anyway." 

"That's why I put it in, but I didn't happen to be on the same site as her and had to meet her when I was at work instead. - hey, you don't spring, watch this -" He pulls out his pocket everything and finds a baby picture of a little purple gnawing on a rattle to show to Ada.

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" She practically melts over the picture. 

Giggle. "Adorable. Sorry, I didn't realize you were, or I'd have been more delicate." 

He grins. "If I needed delicate I wouldn't live on this planet."

"Well, fair enough. But I hold me to a higher standard all the same."

"Mm-hm. Now I'm curious -" He shows Aduva the purple baby.

"Aww." She is still Charmed but does not lose her mind with gooeyness. 

"Heh." Away goes the everything. "What brings you folks to Voa, anyway?"

"Species in our world have different kinds of magic. Elf magic involves making healthy babies with a certain degree of volitional control; Mom's an expert on designing them. Voa won her bid and we want to raise money to get Mama rezzed sooner rather than later."

Ada winces at the "get Mama rezzed" part.

"Oh, I'm not surprised there'd be a lot of interest in that. That's a really cool ability."

"That it is." 

"It does involve laying an egg after a month of gestation instead of carrying the baby for the whole time. Apparently this is a downside for Amentans?"

"Yeah...it sounds worth it, though." 

"Good thing, too, because my species doesn't reproduce any other way." 

"Do the eggs kick or not so much?"