The overlap between LowPonds such as Earth and the cultures of the WidePond as a whole are fascinating. Unawakened Earth has a multitude of cultures and mythologies. Similar cultures exist throughout the WidePond, but tend to be centralized as a single culture per Pond. The mythologies often resemble aspects of Awakened society that Unawakened should have no awareness of.

  This is hardly unique to Earth, most WidePonds have these spreads of cultures and similar tales. Whether the LowPonds are the root of these cultures, or Awakened form their origins is uncertain. It may even be both.

  ~ * ~

  Anya waited until they were in their car and pulling onto the road before turning in her seat. Tucking her foot under her leg she looked at Seb with a slight frown.

  Did you have to offer her her own office? We barely know her.

  Anya, he said without looking away from the road. She was panicking. Didn't you notice?

  She thought back to the meeting, to how abruptly Phelann's demeanor had changed and how distant she had seemed until they'd come to an agreement about the office. She hadn't considered it that way at the time but now?

  You mean her not wanting to look at us?

  That, and then her immediately rejection of our offer to visit her? She realized she was complaining and suddenly she shut down.

  She took a moment and thought about that. It had felt as though Phelann had been expressing her frustration, only to stop abruptly. Her looking past them and answering in such monotone had been shocking. She had started to liven up when coffee was brought up and then calmed down when they had decided on where to meet and could continue with their plans.

  She doesn't like changes? she guessed.

  Maybe? Or maybe doesn't like things arranged around her.

  But she's helping us.

  And you were always beautiful exactly as you are. And yet?

  Anya blushed and turned away. She doubted she would need more than the fingers of one hand to count the number of times he'd actually told her in words, not counting saying wow, that he found her beautiful. That he would say it now, that he would bring it up knowing how she would react meant. Oh. He meant that she hadn't seen or believed it for a long time. That she disliked how she looked at the time. Did he mean Phelann saw herself in some way that did fit how they saw her?

  She doesn't see herself as helpful?

  I don't know. But I suspect there's something, he answered.

  She looked back at him with a faint smile, reaching over to squeeze his arm. Thank you.

  You're welcome? he answered, clearly not sure what she was thanking him for.

  You're handsome too.

  She saw him glance at her as his hands tightened on the wheel, his emotions betraying his appreciation of the compliment. I meant it.

  So did I.

  She smiled and sat back, leaving her hand resting on him as they drove to their meeting with Yshe and Sam.

  ~ * ~

  Sam was at the front desk once again when they arrived. This time he was much more agreeable and immediately led them back to Yshe's workspace rather than make them wait.

  "Auntie, they're here."

  Anya stepped in to a controlled disaster, plans and parts were intermingled on every surface and wall, some apparently inserted into or through the walls. The only relatively clear space was a light table that had a stack of papers on one side.

  As Seb stopped next to her and looked around Yshe tossed something into the pile at her side. She glanced at the two of them and grinned.

  "Ye figured yourselves out? Good."

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  Anya blinked, confused before understanding what she meant. She knew Seb caught on at the same moment from the confusion she felt coming from him even as he coughed to cover his reaction.

  "We- yes?" she answered.

  "Was cute last time, but there's a time and place for dancing around and another for getting to business. Today is business, yes?"

  "Yes Engineer," they answered in tandem.

  "Good," she said then picked up the stack of papers and turned on the light table. "Sam?"

  "Lady, Seneschal" Sam began. "Based on your request we are proposing adding an additional exit from your Construct that would connect into the house proper beneath the staircase, positioned as though it led to a basement. We'll also re-arrange the rooms to allow for the hallway to expand to either side of the main room for future expansion. The new entry will be on one side of the main hall and a small room will be added with 4 staging points on the other."

  "The current plan is to also add additional generic rooms off both the hallways to allow for future use, one will be large enough to be turned into a principal suite in the future if desired," he concluded.

  As he had described the intended changes Yshe had laid out a handful of plans, each showing slight variations of the same plan. Finally both Engineers turned to them to hear their thoughts.

  The middle one? Seb suggested.

  "We like the middle option," Anya said after a moment of consideration, there was not really any difference between them as far as she was concerned. "Although we would want you to add an additional room on the the side opposite the suite as you named it. We have agreed to provide a dedicated Office Space for Seer's Council business for Seer Phelann. Please reach out to her to ensure the room is outfitted to her needs and ensure there is a water creator and space for an Unawakened Coffee maker to be installed."

  "Coffee maker?" Yshe asked.

  "Auntie, that local drink you said was too bitter to be enjoyable, and yet you still ask for one with lots of sugar every time-"

  "Hush child. I know what a coffee maker is. I merely wonder why one would be needed."

  "Seer Phelann enjoys the drink, when made properly. She seemed familiar with something similar," Seb explained.

  "Ah, there are other Ponds where such drinks are common, although perhaps not to the degree it is among the Unawakened here." Yshe pulled out a pen and quickly mocked up an appropriate addition, adding a washroom as well. "Something such as this?"

  Anya looked it over and nodded, she saw the lines and had a general idea of what was being proposed but nothing more. Seb seemed to be comparing the room sizes against one another but finally seemed content.

  "Perfect," Yshe exclaimed and tossed all the other options to the side. "I'm guessing you'd like the office prioritized over the rest?"

  "If possible," she answered. "The staging points are important but we will be meeting with her again in a month so if it is ready before then?"

  "Doable," Yshe answered before Sam had even started to open his mouth. "You won't have the second entrance in time though, and the Water Creator for the Coffee might not be fully integrated. They might seem easy enough to use when Diving but take a bit of work to keep stable in a Construct. But a month should be possible if she doesn't have any strange demands."

  "Auntie, you have-"

  "Sam, you're perfectly capable of ensuring most of this goes according to plan. If you're worried about the work itself your cousin can help, of course that means you'll have to listen to him tell you how he would have done things?"

  "I think I can manage," Sam answered with a heavy sigh.

  "Good. Now all we need to do is figure out the cost and what you'll be paying today."

  Yshe pulled up an EDN feed, apparently the table was a terminal as well and a moment later the plan, updates and all appeared between them in three dimensions. Information scrolled along the side, numbers and terms flickering in and out of visibility as Anya focused on the plan itself.

  "Couldn't you have just shown it to us this way?" she asked.

  "Of course we could have," Yshe answered with a laugh. "But I figured your partner there would feel more comfortable. And I do have a liking for working with my hands if you can't tell."

  Seb shook his head and reached out, touching the feed here and there before spinning it to orient towards the two of them the same as the original plan had been.

  "Hand gestures, not using a mouse as a pointer, but the idea is the same," Seb explained, only to chuckle at Yshe's expression. "Unawakened technology. It wasn't actually projected but could display three dimensional objects on a screen to be manipulated in similar ways."

  "Fine!" she grumbled and replaced the plan with the costs. "Serves me right for trying to make fun of the Adult Awakened. Shown up in me own shop. In the end it will come to three level 6 Weregild. Agreement on one today, rest when we're done."

  Does everyone count costs in Weregilds? Seb asked.

  Once it costs more than a level 1? Yes.

  So costs are in years of effort? What happens if someone works harder?

  Seb… she sighed and caught Yshe grinning at them. I don't know, maybe ask Yshe? Or save the question for Phelann?

  Phelann, I don't think Yshe likes me.

  "Sorry Engineer," Anya said as she approved the payment on the feed. "We were not dancing around as you put it. Trying to explain that I don't know why costs are in Weregilds."

  Anya!

  "Him too?" Yshe shook her head. "Everyone asks, never heard a good answer. Maybe ask those Seers, if you're lucky they will not only know, but will be willing to tell you."

  "Seer Phelann does seem to appreciate questions, or at least welcomes them," Anya admitted.

  "Learning type?"

  "She said research," Seb answered.

  "Same thing. They like knowing, and telling if they can. Less dangerous most of the time."

  "Dangerous?" Anya asked in confusion.

  "Never you mind. Hopefully you'll never find out," Yshe said then dismissed the feed and turned to look for her discarded parts.

  "Don't mind Auntie," Sam said as he gestured for them to leave. "She has a history with the Seers. Won't talk about it except with her old friends."

  "I heard that boy. No spreading tales, ye got work to plan and do." They glanced back into the workshop at the shout then headed back to the front of the building.

  "If you'll ensure that Yshe and I are authorized to access the Holding we'll get to work in the next few days," Sam said as they were leaving. "We should be on record as Engineers, we just need access past the front door."

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