<Powers sure do change a lot for those lucky enough to get the good ones. At least I have foundation points for steady hands. Unique, eh? What is that like?>

"Saved me a lot of dithering, since I couldn't trade it. Also had a non-negotiable skill come with it, mental defense thing. Somebody on the internet thought maybe there were magical reactors in space that were mind-bending to be near and I could have a future repairing those but I think they were making that up."

<...That is a point. At least most of us have the chance to trade.>

<I have heard of wizards who study demons and chaos. Only the fact that they exist, not anything about how they work, though.>

Bus is here! A bunch of people get off. They get on. You don't have to show a pass or anything.

The transit is public as in library! Cool. On the bus with her. Does she actually feel different with the stat points installed when she's not actually trying to do anything special?

She absolutely feels different. There's a lightness and ease to moving around that simply wasn't present before- The stamina and strength seem to be helping more than dexterity or speed, at least when just walking around. And she hasn't threatened to trip even once so far.

Jean looks at her getting on the bus a bit strangely, then nods. <Oh, right. You probably just affixed. You can kinda tell you're getting used to the stats. Also- You have a bunch. A rank, eh.>

"It's a lot, yeah, the System actually let me bank some for later so it'd be a less huge adjustment but I'm really glad I don't have dyspraxia any more!"

<Dyspraxia? If anything would be an instant solution, dexterity weould. I think I like you because you seem to have avoided wasting it on Appeal.>

<Appeal is not a waste, Jean. Empathy is a real skill, and however much you disdain it people do treat you differently based on your appearance. It is the way the world works.>

<I'm going for the cranky surgeon archetype. Or maybe I will wash out of medical school and become a store clerk.>

Camille huffs.

"I didn't really want to have anything mess with my mind and was fine with how I looked, so yeah, I am only as appealing as I was last week."

<Just out of curiosity and not criticism, did you review exactly what the mental effects of Appeal are before rejecting them?>

"Cursorily but it makes less difference to me than you might expect. I can buy in later if I change my mind."

<I suppose. You don't get whatever fraction of a point back, though.>

<I don't think most people want to optimize every facet of their lives, Camille.>

"I might like to but not with mind control!"

<It's not- They're entirely new pathways, new neurons, like a little bit of bonus specialized Processing!>

<Peace, peace. Stop after next is ours.>

<Fine. I will be quiet.>

"I would actually be interested to hear about it but it's certainly not urgent."

This is a good way to get an amateur neuroscience lecture from Camille. Apparently Processing and to a lesser extent other Foundations make neurons measurably faster/more resilient/more active, and there's a lot of medical study on just what Foundation points are and how they work.

They get off the bus. The cafe is right there by the stop, all brightly painted awnings and smell of fresh coffee and croissants in the air. Signs are in French and Chinese, with more System translation.

Huh, maybe she'll be able to actually learn to read more than a couple hundred characters of Chinese if she tries it with live translation and bonus Processing. School wasn't very good at that.

The place is counter-service with cutesy themed dishes and mugs. Everything smells delicious. Her new friends repeat that it's their treat, and order two bagels, a chocolate croissant, a slice of lemon cake, and two custom coffee orders for themselves.

<You have to appreciate little things.> Jean insists. <For all that I wanted a different place... The smell of fresh bread and the pleasant chatter of conversation on a warm day. It's good.>

She'll take a baguette sandwich and a giant double chocolate muffin and an iced tea. "It's so atmospheric, I love the dishes."

<The owner designs them all, you know? I had to ask her where she got them, and it's one of the pottery places in> "Boomtown"* <-So they're wrightwork, just a little bit, for being fired in a magic kiln, at least.>

*This one word is said in English, and untranslated

"Does that imply anything about the finished products, particularly, or does it just make the firing process better in whatever way?"

<The glaze is one that wouldn't normally work. It has antimicrobial properties!>

"Oh, cool. Going for an A plus from the health department."

<Copper nanoparticles! I am, I will proudly admit, a bit of a nerd. I don't think there are any Wrights who aren't, because of the trade system.>

Jean sighs. <Yes, yes, the trades. Everyone wants the good classes, and there are not enough of them to go around.>

<We've talked this to death, Jean...>

<It's the natural right of the French to complain. I'm done now.>

"I didn't touch the trade system, obviously, I assume it's vicious - I wish they'd let us trade on an interplanetary basis."

<It's vicious. I ended up paying eight thousand Euro to get Meister at all- And it's of rifles, not knives like I wanted. Surgeon, you know.>

<The Avowed Council gets into arguments with the ambassador all the time about class distribution and talents. They've been pushing for new-model Sways for decades.>