"Mom uses it too," she shrugs. "I don't think she would if it had long-term effects like that."

"But there are plants that do?"

"Wouldn't surprise me. Which is why you act careful with magic unless you're insane."

"Okay. Careful's the word, sure. I can do careful."

Cally shakes her head. "Yeah. Well. Bye?"

"—wait, but I still wanna know. Look, I just—why not?"

"Cause being secret about it has been beat into my head since I was like six? And I have a hard time just dismissing that entirely when I don't really have a reason to think my folks are stupid or evil?"

"But that's been blown already, I already know. And I don't mean to say your parents are evil or stupid, just that most people aren't as—ambitious, or idealistic, I guess, as they could be with their resources."

"...Well, maybe I'll end up asking mom some probing questions. And maybe I'll come to a decision you like more in a couple of days."

She beams widely. "Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!!"

"Maybe."

She nods many times. "Yes, yes, I understand. I'll be very careful and won't go looking for trouble."

"And so help me I already told you, like, at least a tenth of everything I know about it," mutters Cally as she packs up her timing setup.

...wow that's disappointing as heck. But alright. She nods again, more slowly this time. "Thank you. Really.—and hey, if you find anything that does temporary medical transition, that'd be grand even without all the other stuff."

She almost answers, but then hesitates and instead says, "You weren't supposed to hear that last bit. And I'll keep it in mind."

She nods and smiles at Cally.

"Yeah, yeah, go on and taunt me by being happy and excited. Write up a fantasy fic where you save the world with glowing flowers or something tonight. See you in school."

She giggles. "I'll try to be less happy. See you."

Well. That's one mystery solved and more created.

It's the weekend, so Sadde has the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday to get too curious for her own good, unless she resists the temptation.

Oh he's good for his word. By Monday he has not tried to look for any magic! So much self-restraint!

At school on Monday, Cally passes him a note at the first reasonable surreptitious opportunity.

Mom won't give me a straight answer yet. Please wait.

He writes one back:

I'm very patient.

(Or, well, he can be.)

Don't worry about it. And really, thank you. And also magic aside I still wanna hang out with you, you're cool, so unless you think it's awkward I'm still gonna.

K. Both things. No more notes, teach knows what's up. Talk in gym?

Sure.

Cally eye-rolls at him. She said no more notes.

She folds up the one they were using into her bag and pays attention to class.