The discussion group lets out and four of the kids go off to prep for the next one, but Zio apparently wants to show Raltig something and it makes more sense to tag along with zer now than to come to the schoolibrary an entire advance period early tomorrow, since re isn't, primarily, a teacher. Ze runs through the hallways, as Raltig jogs behind, all the way down to the building's theater, through the rows of seats to the backstage, and then up the metal stairs, into the catwalks where the flies are run. More slowly but with no less sense of purposeful direction, ze makes zer way to and through a door, and then up a much more rickety stairway, around several corners, up a few more sets of steps, and into a surprisingly large and open room.
Zio does not WANT to take the lead here but it will be so impressive and ze will be such a trouper* and it will develop zer character and ze will win so many ((metaphorical)) respect points from Mr.** Raltig if ze does. Possibly ze'll just pass Competence immediately that's not how that works at all and ze doesn't actually want to not be in Competence anymore even though it would make zer extremely cool.
Tragic that ze can't pet the dog while holding onto zer other arm even if it's a good idea; how does ze feel about letting go of it - pretty negatively, still, apparently - ow don't cry don't cry -
Yeah, ze checks whether this building has a wall-mounted first aid kit accessible from in front of the counter.
*This has neither theatrical nor military connotations.
**A specific casual title referring to people currently acting as teachers. Lit. 'growth-guide' or 'learning-leader', portmanteau'd with an overlapping syllable. Non-gendered.
The building does not have a first aid kit accessible from in front of the counter, no. The person behind the counter peers at them curiously.
Ze checks like five times just in case, but this wasn't marked as a public space, so.
(aaaa talking to strangers aaaa - ze doesn't know what's going on here but it does seem like the sort of case where ze would ideally start with Allang, however: can't use arms. If Counterperson doesn't know Represending then that's a pretty obvious point for knowing zer limits and stopping trying to handle this zerself?)
"Hi, um, is there a - where's the first aid kit?"
The person behind the counter furrows his brow at her. Taps a sign with a bunch of languages on it, each with a paragraph of information.
Zio recognizes none of these writing systems.
. . . Which makes it really weird that ze can read that one.
The first one says:
This is the Starfield Easternmost Delivery Hub. If you cannot talk to the operator, there are forms for your use to your left. To register your household with this hub, fill out a copy of the green form or scan the code on the box of green forms. If you are missing an item you expected, fill out a copy of the pink form or scan the pink form box's code. Other common issues are listed on the yellow form, and you can find more information and options at site^starfield^municipal^deliveryhubs^easternmost.
A tiny horse comes in, drawing a cart. The operator looks at the name on the harness - it says Primrose Palace on it - and gives the tiny horse a bunch of stuff to cart away.
Zio determines with a little testing that ze's capable of sounding out the mysterious text, too. - Tiny! Horse! Right inside the building!! World large and difficult horse small and soft! Its little nooooose - ze jostles zer arm slightly about this and doesn't have to exert very much effort not to cry about it so maybe that's a good sign or maybe it just wasn't a proper jostle?
Ze tries again in the extremely confusing language, haltingly, once the tiny horse has gone: "Where's the first aid kit?"
. . . Should ze mention the weird stuff probably not that seems distracting. "I hurt my wrist." Oh, wait: the important skill of realizing when you can just tell the truth. "Also maybe some other stuff but most immediately that."
(Raltig is making some faces about all of this - not even very much faces, really - but isn't interfering yet.)
"...I have, like, bandages. Ibuprofen. If you broke something you want the clinic." There's a map of the city on the wall, actually, with the delivery depots marked with little stars, and he points out where they are and where the nearest clinic is. It's twelve blocks away, due west.