"I'll pencil it in."

"Wow. I don't know if I could commit to that kind of thing even tentatively."

"Different people learn at different rates. Don't let it bother you."

"... so you know the other local escorts. What are they like?"

"Aya's lazy and spends most of her time serving in the Blackberry Gardens. She's forgotten more about being an escort than I've ever learned. Tasha is a dragon girl, wings and tail, and she's very dedicated to her job. She's actually a priestess of Sunaira, if you had questions I could pass them along."

"No, I think that's alright."

"I'll talk about that with you later, Ishaza."

"Alright. Any more questions?"

"What are the Blackberry Gardens like? I've heard things, but I figure you might be... the sort of person to ask."

"No waiting, no bullshit, nothing but sex and kink. And when you stop wanting that it goes away. It's very eager to serve, more even than the Rosethorn Hotel. And sometimes something goes completely the opposite way to how you expected it to go and it's perfect anyway. There can be - scheduling issues, and conflicts, and all the detritus of life, but almost everything shuts up and lets you focus entirely on what you want."

"Sounds lovely."

"I wouldn't recommend jumping in immediately - it can be a lot - but it's the place to go for truly unrestrained fantasies. Because somewhere out there in the Rose Bowers, there's someone who wants exactly the complement of what you want."

"Do you really have enough people here to assure that?"

"We cheat a little. Between the escorts and nudging arrival and departure dates, we arrange compatible people. And there are so many people coming here. We try to keep the prices low to help with that."

"You nudge the arrival and departure dates? How?"

"Fate effects. It's all in the Bower Guide."

"Isn't that kind of unethical?"

"It only uses the slack that was already there."

"I guess."

"Gods."

"Gods."

"Personally I think it's worth it to provide a better experience here, but you're entitled to your own opinions."

"Let's get off this topic. What's your favorite breakfast food, Ishaza?"

"Oh, definitely sausages."

"Of course."