He scowls before covering it with a smile. "Ah, let's just say that asking questions isn't always a good way to become well liked. I... Ended up in a mud hut in the swamp with only an old man for company. Picked it up from there."

"...huh. Do you like it now?"

"Oh, definitely! It's not all beer and blankets but I've found my long journeys very fulfilling, considered as a whole. Say. How did you end up here, I wonder?

"You mean, me specifically in this town, or Vanda Nossëo on this planet?"

"You, if you don't mind? I think I understand why the organization is here, even if it's a lot to take in, but some sort of personal view is better to really understand."

"Well, I joined Vanda Nossëo because, like, you know, the dream is to help people and I turn out to have not nearly enough aptitude for healing to beat any of the other magic healing options. I took a quiz to see what departments I'd be a fit for and considered Integration but decided envoy would be more fun. This particular town I think we got assigned randomly, we didn't know enough to pick and choose in advance. Oh, and I'm on Nelen's team because during training I met Natsuko and put in a request to be on the same team as her and she'd wanted to be on Nelen's because she likes his vibe or something."

"Huh. Sounds like some very careful planning. I should stop monopolizing the story store if you've got enough from me for these spices and salt." He makes a head tossing sort of gesture at the line. "I'd love to meet the others if they'd wish it. Perhaps you have need of further consultation with a shaman."

"Sure, they're over there!" She points and turns to the next person.

He walks to Nelen and politely waits to be acknowledged.

"Hi there!" says Nelen, when he's sent his current customer on their way with a new contraceptive ring.

"Hello! I am a shaman, able to speak to the beasts and spirits. I've told the lady over there some about it, it sounds like that could be useful. I also wanted to meet more visitors from other worlds, I'm very curious what brings you all specifically here."

"Oh, well, I joined up when - for a while after Vanda Nossëo found my planet I didn't have a job, kind of a lot of us didn't - my subgroup of my species. We took a while to get used to the multiverse, enjoy having Vanda Nossëo basic income, lots of us immediately started having a ton of kids, took up a lot of hobbies we hadn't been able to try before. And that was fun, for a while, but then I wanted to be doing something. If I were married it'd probably be the having a ton of kids thing, my species loves kids, but I'm not, so I wound up in an employment office and it funneled me this way and I passed a screen for the extra fancy spells. Eventually I'll meet someone and settle down. Maybe still do a turn as an ambassador now and then while the kids are at band camp or something."

"I wish you joy and luck in that, truly. Sadly my time is nearly past, family is an old dream that is not to be for me. Are there very many nonhumans who look mostly like humans?"

"Kind of a weird number, yeah, we don't know why. My kind have colorful hair and more teeth than you." He grins to demonstrate.

"Ha! I could not even begin to venture a guess. Or well, I could, but I doubt my guesses are worth anything here."

"There's some internal difference too, and stuff that you can only see over time - I can go from as pale as Tarwë to darker than Cassiel in the space of a few days if I get enough sun, and then back again if I stay inside. But mostly you can think of Amentans as humans who really really like babies."

"I don't suppose I could go visit? I'm a wanderer, you see."

"You can! We don't have a bus station installed here for more regular trips but if you'd like to just go up to my ship and take a ride from there to wherever strikes your fancy you're more than welcome. Shall I pop you up now?"

He laughs. "Why not? I'll repay you with advice on spirits later, how about. Maybe even teach someone how to do it themselves- Though it takes years to master."

Nelen pops him up to the lobby of the ship.

He-

Is starstruck, making a beeline for the window and staring out at the stars and planet, open-mouthed.

"That's not your side of the planet, right now, the town we're working in will come up in about three hours on that side," Nelen says, pointing.

"This-

"It's just barely on the edge of my perception but I can feel her. Mother Earth, and Sun's distant gaze. So... Lonely and proud. I- I'm sorry. This is a very moving experience."

"Those are - spirits?" Nelen asks.

"Yes... Supposedly. They- Would be ancient and alien beyond belief, if they are spirits in truth and not - my own wishful thinking, or something. I - This is..."