The ferry had been booked out almost entirely by Agwa, an elderly herbalist. When Anu asked, the captain wasn’t entirely clear about what Agwa’s role was at the Academy, but did say she was returning to Verse after collecting samples of the nearby flora and fauna.

Herbalists, like many other professions, used circuits too. The cargo she was carrying was stored in protective containers, wired up with circuits to try and preserve the contents.

Within five minutes of meeting, Agwa had insisted that Anu join her.

She had taken an near-instant like to Anu, after seeing her waiting on the dock, head buried in book . She got excited when she found out it was about circuits. She was a little overjoyed to meet Kay too, even if they were currently napping atop Anu's head.

The trek through the mountains was a little dull. Her companions for the trip, mercenaries, weren’t every enthusiastic about flower picking. Company, especially company that appreciated her research, was very welcome.

Anu, similarly, had taking a liking to Agwa. The old woman had been polite, and asked about her textbook. She’d taken her on a tour of the ship, answering questions about some of the circuit design. The circuits Anu had studied, were often about offence, defence. She’d rarely seen circuits used for more practical uses, like plant storage.

Anu’s curiosity quickly transformed into enthusiasm. Agwa was delighted to have someone being genuinely interested about her work. For her it was a simple, but rare, pleasure. When she told people she was a professor, people, especially other herbalists, would treat her differently.

Smiths were often seen as a step above labourers, printing someone else’s circuit design onto a weapon. Herbalists were similarly treated as machines for pills, tonics, ointments. A professor, on the other hand, depending on the subject, would be treated with respect, sometimes reverence.

She’d been coy about her job on purpose, but it hadn’t really mattered that much to Anu. Once she’d seen the circuits, at least.

The captain had searched the docks for the pair, only to find them aboard, an animated discussion in the cargo hold. She managed to get them to pack up and move out, but she couldn’t get either of them to stop talking about circuits.

Inside the shared cabin, the two continued to talk. Anu talked about her work in Duncan’s forge, her plans to study at the academy, and asked Agwa questions about the equipment from earlier.

“Oh, Anu, I forgot how old I am today. I need to be in bed before nightfall. It’s been wonderful to meet you, and your familiar too, I hope they're rested by tomorrow”

“Actually… I think Kay might be waking up”

“I’d be delighted to meet them, if they’re awake”

Anu reached up with her hand, “If you don’t mind, Kay”, waiting for them to climb onto her hand.

“This”, she said, arm outstretched, “is Kay, A mana-weaver”

“Hello K. So tiny!”

tap tap “Um, No, it’s like the unit, Kays, it doesn’t sound the same to them”

“Kay?” tap, Anu smiled, “Yep. They tap things out, or draw sometimes”

“Wait. Mana-weaver?”

“Yep”.

"I’ve never seen, well, anyone like you Kay, up so close before. Such a cute little spider too! Oh! I have a gift!"

Anu tried to explain that Kay had shrunk for travel, but Agwa wasn't listening. She'd walked over to her luggage in search of something.

“Wait, where was it, ah, Here!, only a little but, this plant always shows up in their webs, I’ve always been a little curious, ah here we go, Hibslock petals”

Agwa held up the flower to show Anu, but Kay noticed first. They whipped out of Anu’s palm, grabbed the flower, and returned to her hair in one fluid movement. Kay was rubbing the petals against their face and torso, wildly tapping their other legs against Anu’s skull.

Anu had stopped mid expression.

“Ahahahah Cat-Nip”, Agwa quickly broke into laughter so hard that she was wheezing.

“Sorry, uh”, Anu was embarrassed, “I don’t really have much control over what they do. I am pretty sure Kay is the happiest they’ve been all week, so thank you too.”

“It’s fine! I’m surprised, oh, wait, there we go”

Kay had crawled into the hood of the cloak, rubbing the petals onto the silk.

“I take it your hood is lined with silk, right?”

A little embarrassed, Anu nodded.

A few moments later, Kay slowly crawled back to their perch, above Anu’s ear.

“Yep they do say thank you. A lot. Kay, Kay? I get it”

Agwa smiled. “I’m sorry I don’t have any more, oh, but, maybe I have something you’d like to see, Anu. ”

She fetched two small globes from her bag, opaque, round, and shiny. One clear-ish, one a matte black.

“I was going to wait till later, but... you can’t tell anyone about these, they’re unfinished research projects. From one maker to another, can you keep a secret?

Anu nodded.

“Great because I have been dying to show someone my work. ”

Agwa held out the clear orb, “This one, this is why I’m out here. It tests for poison. A compact circuit that recognises some of the characteristics of specific plants. I've been doing field tests.”

She rolled it around her hand to reveal a small indentation. Placing a leaf atop, small lines and circles lit up within the orb, finishing in a light green glow.

“The idea is to recognise some of the energy in plants, and try and work out the good and the bad bits.”

“Neat! Does it work like the regulator in a forge?”

“Ha! Yes. A feedback loop, casting a spell and detecting the effects. Ok, little genius. What about this”.

Putting the poison detector away, Agwa held the other orb out. Pushing mana into it, she lit up the circuits inside.

“Is that a light spell?”

“Wait one second”

A small blue box hovered over the globe, and slowly letters began to form

TEST TEST TEST TEST

“I really should have made it say something more interesting, but, this is several light circuits chained together. The message is a little baked in, unfortunately”

Anu tapped the side of her head, ‘Kay look at this’

“The idea was, what if it could tell you what poison it was, or perhaps suggest treatment? I was already using a light circuit… This isn’t anything too clever or fancy, it’s just, well, a lot of circuits. I haven’t worked out how I am going to change the message but”

“No this is incredible, Agwa”

Anu was amazed: A strong reminder that you can build incredible things with only the basics, and a lot of hard work. She estimated that it would take maybe three maybe six months to build the 400 or so light circuits.

“Kay, did you see that?” tap

“Agwa, these are both incredible.” Anu had seen circuits to make a better wall, a sharper sword, but very few original designs. Anu had a few more questions, and Agwa had a few more answers, but eventually it was time to retire.

“I love your enthusiasm, but, I think I will have to go to bed now. I can’t wait for both of you to come and visit me. Once you’ve found your feet in Verse, you must!”

“This was wonderful fun. I’d be delighted to come visit! Kay too.”

“Wonderful. With that, it's a good time for me to head to sleep”

“Good night Agwa”, “You too, both of you”

As Agwa tidied up her tools and books, Anu prepared her bed for the night. Looking at the well worn hammock, Anu untied it, replacing it with silken one she’d been using earlier.

Peering out from her private cabin, Agwa asked, “Did Kay make that too?”

“Yes”

“Your familiar is very thoughtful. I’m a little jealous”

“Maybe I will have to find them some more Hibslock petals .. Ow … Ok I will. Go to sleep Kay”

Anu heard a giggle, then “Right, sleep well”

“See you in the daylight Agwa”

Anu climbed into her hammock, tucking the blankets around her for warmth.

“Kay?” tap

“That blue box, could you cast a spell like that?”

A blue box hovered in front of Anu’s face. Slowly, a few letters appeared.

no. tired.

“Good night Kay”.

good-sleep anu