[video]

[unetrustworthy]

 [Midii's lips were pursed together in concentration when the screen turned on, eyes turned downward.  The tip of a writing utensil could be seen moving as she jotted down one last note before looking up.]

Something was brought to my attention recently.  I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner, but it could be really important.

Allergies.

Is there anyone here who has them?  Of things from home, or maybe of something you've realized you're allergic to here.  Plants...food...metals...I'm curious to know.

Comments

[lasergrenades]

Strawberries. There's something like it here that doesn't seem to cause the same reaction, but I avoid it anyway because it's kind of too close for comfort.

[unetrustworthy]

[She nodded, adding that to her current list of notes. Of all her responses yet, she seemed the least surprised by Pepper's.]

I've heard of that one, specifically, before. Someone else mentioned fruits, too, which makes me wonder just how common it is for people to develop an allergy to them.

[lasergrenades]

I think a lot of people are born with the allergies they have, but I know they can come and go. Like, I knew someone who was only allergic to pollen for about a year, but that's it.

Doing a study or something?

[unetrustworthy]

Yes.

[The initial response was short, if only because there was little need for elaboration. She was doing a study on allergies as part of her lessons, and that really was her primary motive for inquiry.]

I read a theory in one of the journals I found that states many people can develop or outgrow allergies every 7 to 10 years. Unfortunately, most of the evidence it presents is anecdotal and has yet to be proven. If what you said about that pollen allergy is true, then that already goes against that theory.

[lasergrenades]

Cool. Huh. Well, I guess I'm anecdotal evidence, too, but it does sound like the kind of thing where there's not nearly enough data. [Which would explain why Midii was asking.] There's a standard set of things that doctors test against when people have allergies, I think, but how many people actually get tested and how many people just say they have an allergy - whether it's true or not - probably doesn't match up.

[unetrustworthy]

[The idea of an allergy test also seemed like new news to her--or at least, garnered a slight furrow of the brow from her in response.]

I...don't think we ever had anything like that were I come from. [Although, in hindsight, hers was probably not the best experience to go by, and she quickly amended:] Or if we did, I'd never seen it. No one in my family had any allergies, except Michel who would get a lot stuffier and sneezed extra when it rained, and anyone who ever mentioned anything about it just seemed to...know, but never said how.

[lasergrenades]

Yeah, we're pretty test-heavy when it comes to medical stuff, at least where I come from. Allergy tests are seriously annoying, but sometimes you can just tell if something bothers you and people will just avoid whatever that thing is rather than doing the test.

What kind of things do you do to treat allergies where you're from?

[unetrustworthy]

[Normally, when Midii didn't know something, she was ready and willing to admit it.]

...medicine?

[This time was an exception, however, because it was something she felt like she should have known more specifics. Not just because of her current studies, but because it was common knowledge to so many.]

I don't know any of their names. We never had much access to medicine when I was young. Fortunately, Michel was okay most of the time and didn't really need it.

[A thought occured to her just then, and her brow furrowed.]

Adrien mentioned something about antihistamines. I can't say for certain, since we're from different times, but that might have been it.

[lasergrenades]

[Pepper laughed quietly, mostly at herself, because that was an obvious enough answer.]

Duh, right, of course. Yeah, antihistamines are pretty standard, but I don't remember the chemical names. No idea if the same kind of thing exists here, but it probably does. I mean, I'd expect the kedan get allergies, too, sometimes. I know with pollen, though, that eating local honey is supposed to help some. Like building up tolerance.

Have you talked to Kyde at all?

[unetrustworthy]

[At least she didn't sound too ignorant.]

No. I've seen him around the college, but we haven't spoken much.

Why do you ask?

[lasergrenades]

Well, he's a chemist, and I know he can make medicine, so I'd bet he would know about how allergies are treated around here. Or at least know someone who would, if it wasn't him. Milyn, too, actually. They might be able to answer more of your questions.

[unetrustworthy]

[She nodded. Already familiar with Milyn's profession, and knowing that Kyde was interested in the sciences but never knowing his specialty before now.]

I'll keep them both in mind once I have more questions written down to ask.

Thank you.

[lasergrenades]

Sure! It'd be neat to see what you come up with when you're done, if you're willing to share. I bet it could be useful for a bunch of people.

[unetrustworthy]

I have no problem sharing the information with anyone who asks.

[The thought of medical privacy wasn't something she clung very strongly to, because in her mind, it was better for other people to know. Less risk of accidental exposure, for one.]

Do you thinkI should write a small master list or pamphlet or something like that? Not to hand out at random, of course, but just something to keep on hand. Especially for those who end up studying healing as well.

[lasergrenades]

Oh, yeah. Totally. That sounds like a great idea. Maybe you can have it in a couple languages, too, since the translation magic doesn't work on writing. I bet Kyde or someone at the Healers Guild would be wiling to help with that if you'd need it.

[unetrustworthy]

[She nodded]

I can write well in about three languages, and my kedanese is...getting a lot better. But I would almost certainly still need help with translating certain medical terms, since there are some that have no direct kedan to French translation.

[lasergrenades]

Yeah, sounds like a spot check from someone would be good. I only know a little, and definitely not the medical terms. Criminal ones, though, yes.

Three languages, really? That's super impressive. [Pepper knew little bits and pieces of things, but was only fluent in English.] We had to do a bunch of translation work for training kedan at the police department, but it'll definitely be worth it in the future.

[unetrustworthy]

Where I came from, most everyone spoke at least two. The native tongue of our homeland, and the universal language spoken by the whole earth.

[She wasn't bragging. Just explaining the reason for her interest in poly-lingualism.]

Unfortunately, neither of them were the most common language among Foreigners here. English was. So I forced myself to learn. I had several teachers over the years, too. When I started getting good at that, I took up kedanese as well.

It's very useful. Sometimes, I do wonder why more people don't aim to learn it.