tushanshu | [video]

[When the screen first flickered on, Midii seemed...almost distracted. As if she were functioning on autopilot. Like the broadcast was pre-planned, and some unforeseen circumstance put a damper on the moment. Or she could have just been tired. The circles under her eyes were faint but notable.]

I came across something interesting in my...studies.

[A slight pause at that word, and only then did she appear to collect herself enough to lift her gaze and stare at the camera directly. There were a small pile of flowers off to one side, and she picked one of them up, twirling it gently in front of her as if contemplating its very existence.]

Most of the plants I've been harvesting are supposed to have medicinal qualities. Healing. I've been learning how to identify and use them properly. But there was this one book...[Here, she paused to glance around her before laying eyes on something just below the camera, and seemed satisfied.]...this one here. I found it when I was shopping in the markets the other day. It says that flowers can also be used to send messages to people. Not just to tell someone you like them, or apologize for something you did wrong. More like...each flower can carry a very specific meaning. Almost like a puzzle.

I'd never thought about that before, but it seemed interesting. And maybe useful for people to know at any point in the future. I don't...think I've ever seen many people using coded languages here. [Aside from encryptions, but she purposely refrained from bringing those up.] And I know many of us don't all speak or read in the same languages. But...I don't know...maybe it could even be a game? Or...something.

[She seemed to be losing her train of thought as she went along, pausing just long enough to let out a small yawn.]

Sorry.

Where was I? Oh, right. This one, for example.... [she held up the red leaf-like flower in her hand] ...can be used to make a certain kind of poison. But for some reason, it's hidden message means an abundance of welcoming hospitality. Strange, isn't it? That a flower can mean one thing, but be used for something else entirely.

I wonder...if that's true for all the flowers in Keelai.

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I'm planning on it. Back home I live with a detective, so I've gotten to see lots of cases already.

[There was only the faintest hint of surprise in her eyes at that. Judging from his choice of words, she assumed said detective was neither of his parents, and she wondered what circumstances led to that living arrangement.]

Like in an apprenticeship?

[What she didn't question was why someone so young would be seeing detective cases.]

Maybe a little. I help him as an assistant sometimes.

[And by that he meant that he solved all his cases for him and gave him the credit. ]

[Sounds legit.]

I'm sure he must be grateful to have an assistant like you to help him along.

He complains a lot, actually.

[...oh.]

A lot of adults complain. They think they're supposed to be the smart ones, and then get mad when they don't know something in front of kids.

[She might be speaking from a touch of experience...although, strangely enough, she had to go a ways back to think of a time when that happened.]

At least, they did back home. I don't think they do that so much here.

It was like that back home a lot. There were some who would listen to me, but there were a lot more who wouldn't. I haven't seen it as much here, though.

They might be used to it.

When I was a bit younger, I remember there being more kids my age. Still nowhere near as many as the adults, but more than I see now.

I don't know of anyone else here anywhere close to my age. I guess I'm the youngest by a few years.

[ The age everyone believed him to be, that was. ]

Aya's around your age--that's the robot girl who works over at Stark Industries. But I don't think she really counts, because she definitely doesn't look or act like she's only five.

Otherwise, yeah. It's just you and some of the kedan kids. Do you ever go play with them?

I've met Aya. I didn't know she was that young.

Not really. I spend most of my time at the library or KPD.

I would never have guessed either, but she said as much herself. And she had no reason to lie.

[Midii wasn't even sure she was capable of lying. Then again, hey weren't particularly close, and only knew one another because they'd both been in Keelai for so long.]

There are definitely worse places to spend your time. [She wasn't about to argue; she'd done pretty much the same thing when she was younger. Only instead of the KPD, she'd gone people watching when she wasn't working.] Any good books? I used to have a hard time because not many of them were in either language I could read, but since I started studying English and Kedanese, there've been a lot better selections to choose from.

A few. I've been reading through the science section, and there are some interesting books there. They don't really have any mystery novels.

That's too bad. I'm sure it would very interesting to read what kind of mysteries any local authors came up with.

I wonder if there are any in the bookstores.

It's entirely possible. Either one of the actual shops, or the outdoor displays set up in the markets. I know I've managed to find some good, discounted books there in the past. The covers have seen better days, but all the pages are still in-tact.

[Which was really all that mattered to her.]

I'll have to make a trip out there soon. I've been needing more things to read.

Did you want some company for when you go?

[Not that she didn't think he could handle a trip like this by himself. She just so happened to be equally interested.]

I wouldn't mind some.

[Close enough of a 'yes' for her]

In that case, let me know the where and the when. We can meet up in town.

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