"Show them your medallion and probably do a quick demonstration of creatureness."

"Or, if you're human, explain the system in absurd detail in a low voice and say you're in on it."

"Is there absurd detail to be had? I don't currently have absurd detail."

"I was naming people I knew when I went in without anyone else there, and what types of creature they were. Not the kind of absurd detail that's useful. You'll want books, for that. I just know people."

"Ooh, books. Yeah, I want books."

"I know some good ones, we didn't buy them because money but I skimmed and read quickly."

"Are they really expensive? I mean, for books?"

"Compared to normal bookstore books? Yeah."

"I am also a single parent. Just saying, money doesn't grow on trees."

"I know it doesn't."

"We can buy you at least a few books, I think, Bells."

Darren smiles a little. "Want help picking them out?"

"Yes please."

"We can probably pick a weekend to go, then. Not this one, because shifting and settling in, but - yeah."

"Is it generally safe to fly around outdoors? I guess if you're high enough you look like some unidentified bird and planes can be seen from a ways away... Or we could just take the bus."

"Yeah, but beware of cold. And we can't take our dads if we fly, which... They will probably want to come. So." He coughs.

"It's like you know me or something."

"I'm usually allowed to go places on my own, but I suppose the Seattle Avalon might be a little different than going with a school acquaintance to Port Angeles to find a decent bookstore."

"Just a bit different, yeah."

"Okay, so, significant scheduling projecty thing. How fast can we fly? Or is it likely to be the same...?"

"I think we can manage to be faster than a bus, since we can just go straight there and don't need to make stops. But - parental figures, I'm not sure I can carry my dad."

"I'm reasonably big in fullform but I don't think I want to try carrying a person either, yeah. Especially not as a novice. But I meant just swooping around for fun, how fast are you, in miles per hour, and is my speed likely to be alike?"

"You know I've never actually measured it? It's hard to, considering that I work to get up speed. But um - pretty fast, I think. Your speed's likely to be similar to mine, so you will also be pretty fast."

"Okay. 'Pretty fast'. When we do flying lessons I'm getting you a stopwatch."

"All right! I find it a fun thing to do every now and then, but not a major method of travel, so I never bothered."