Vivian laughs. "She's not wrong," she tells Karen. "Kids can talk about whatever, and there's lots of books and movies and such about magic. I mean, obviously be careful, but it's not the end of the world if you forget when chatting or something?"

"Okay. It's a book. I read weird books."

"And if all you're doing is talking you're fine even if you don't explain that it's a book," Miranda puts in. "It's not the end of the world if someone has to decide they misheard or that you're playing pretend."

"People are weird," Alli says, sounding entirely unconcerned. "Okay, Silverlight, you're the boss lady, where are we off to? Scottish adventures? Yes?"

"Mum is getting shoes and pens and in between she wants to look at everything interesting. As long as we're nearish we can do what we like. I don't know what looks interesting to you, it's all comparatively old hat to me, what do you want to see?"

Alli waves her arms around haphazardly, missing passersby pretty much entirely by luck. "I don't know! Scotland! Adventures!"

Emma and Jenny continue their zoo-related negotiations. Emma's position is less anti cute, fuzzy creatures than it is pro attractions that are actually nearby. Compromises are occurring.

"What about you? Anywhere you'd like to go?" Vivian asks Karen.

"I don't know! What's cool? What's that pointy dark thing over there?" she asks, pointing at the Scott Monument. "Is it cool?"

"Souvenir shop?" asks Miranda dryly, pointing at a place with plaid scarves prominently for sale.

Vivian laughs. "I have no idea, let's find out!"

Jenny has cornered an older couple walking past them and is asking them questions eagerly, while Emma stands beside her looking like she wants to melt in the floor. One answer in particular makes her perk up, and she waves at the group. "There's a cathedral!" she enthuses. "Come on, Emma, let's go, I wanna seeeeee. Later!"

"Well, um, looks like we'll see you all in a bit," she says, smiling after Jenny with fond resignation. "At least it's closer than the zoo!" she mouths at the others as she's dragged off.

"Done!" Alli says immediately. "I am buying the most obnoxiously tourist shit I can find and it will be great."

"Souvenir shop it is. Annoy all the Scottish kids with a wrong plaid or something."

"Yeah, those things are just scary. And they don't smell very nice. That's them, right?"

"I was scared of brooms at first, if it helps," Vivian says encouragingly. "They go so fast, and you could just- fall right off!"

"Yeah, but if somebody else hits you on a broom all you get hit with is a broom and a person. Not a... that."

"The cars will obey the lights," Vivian says, more firmly than she really feels. "Just follow me and the lights, okay?"

Nod nod.

The memorial is a little farther than the cathedral, but not by much. Vivian tries to stick to paths by parks when she can, to reduce the traffic.

Vivian looks around. This part of the path is nice. There are trees, there is shade. No cars. "Are... are you sure everything's okay?"