"Oh. I bet a wig that comes out nice is stupid expensive, too..."

"Yeah, it kinda was," she sighs. "But I might come back a few more times—art project—so."

"Kinda art project?"

"Well I'm going for a photography thing but—I'm not sure yet, I had an inspiration the other day but it's still got to stick somewhere more specific..."

"Wow." He shakes his head. "Well, if the wig takes dye I know somebody'd want it secondhand."

"I'll keep that in mind!"

"Yeah-huh." And he moves on. No one else interrupts her on her way to the hotel.

Before she gets there her face is her own again.

She checks her inbox.

No reds have emailed her.

Sigh. That did not go very well. She should read up more on this world's history, particularly anything about them.

...she wonders if there's anything that isn't infected by the stupid taboo, there.

Why are reds so gross? Red executed for pollution violation. Reds are so gross. One looked at me (you poor thing) (are you okay?). The reds were very slow to repair the toilet in my grandma's house. Reds should only be allowed one child by default and only the ones who behave themselves should get more.

...what does this latter person have to say about, oh, incentives? Have they heard of Calado?

Calado doesn't do one by default, totally different.

And supposing none of them behave?

Oh, most of them behave, it's just a few bad reds who get all the press.

Is it. And what counts as a "bad red"?

Uppity or lazy ones who don't know their places.

Are there literally no reds on the internet.

Sometimes someone on an online game or a social media site is outed as red. This is not socially good for the red or anyone who was friends with them.

Reds also, if she looks very hard, have their own sites.

She does! She does look very hard. What are they like?

Social media sites, pretty much. Just with reds on them.

Ooh. Okay she'll explore that—can she create an account...?

Most of these sites require an invite to do that, and she can't see much without an account, either, just the occasional public post which may be curated specifically for prying eyes.

What about the sites that don't require an invite?

Innocuous blogging about the weather, food, and similar, distinct mostly in being openly red and painfully bland.