taxonomites | [ visual ].

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"Say, why's this thing so empty?"

Flo, the newest alien on the Taxon Board of Affairs (there is no board of affairs, she just finds amusement in abbreviating it TBA), is making a personal visit to Taxon today. As in, in person. She's got the suggestions box in her hands, lifted from it's hook on the wall. It's upside down and she's shaking it, expecting something to come out. She even holds it up above her head to peer inside, just to be sure.

Nope. Nothing.

"I doubt you guys don't have any suggestions for us," she says to the tablet, directly to the screen. Yes, citizens of Taxon, she means you. "From what I hear, you want a lot of things. Mittens cried for days after that whole ordeal."

The hamster's name is not Mittens. That won't stop her from calling him that, though.

Have something to say, Taxon? The wonky weather, the ties that bind (literally), etc. Say it! Flo's here and she's ready to listen.

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Okay, River just shakes her head as if to put this Mittens business out of her mind. That's definitely not the priority here.

"And who are you? I don't think I've seen you before, but it's hard to be sure."

"I'm Flo!" She smiled brightly, pointing at her tricked out name tag, complete with glittery stickers and everything. "It's my first time. Exciting, isn't it?"

"Very." River does not look excited at all.

"I think this is my first time talking to one of you, too. I guess I wasn't as good a conversationalist when I was insane."

Bitter.

"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself!" Cheery is like a disease with this one. "We like you just the way you are."

Sadly, it doesn't look like Flo's cheer is very contagious. "Technically, the way I am isn't the way I was, which is what I'll go back to any day now. It's not very encouraging."

A beat passes, and River moves to lock the feed.

"Why didn't something like this happen sooner?"

"Why didn't what, sweetie?"

Maybe she knows exactly what River's talking about and maybe she doesn't. That's up in the air.

"This glitch, making me different. I've been here two years, I think, and nothing happened before."

Of all the things she's found herself knowing, this is one she can't figure out.

"Maybe we like you."

In other words, she can't give you the answers you want, River. Sorry.

She frowns. Answers weren't really expected, but the would've been nice to have.

"All things considered, that isn't a terribly comforting assertion."

In a lot of ways, Flo wishes she could provide people with answers, but she doesn't have that authority.

She smiles brightly. "But, it's a good thing!"

Her first instinct is to be dismissive, if you say so, but the moment for it passes with a resigned sigh.

"You wanted suggestions, right? People here refer to these irregularities as glitches, and there's a person here completely undeserving of the negative correlation."

Flo taps her chin with the cap end of a pen. Where did the pen come from? Who knows, it's best not to ask.

"That was a term we came up with before Glitch's arrival," she points out. Flo sees River's point, though. "What would you have them be called?"

"Anything else."

Some other time, she would've asked for Simon. Or home. Now she thinks she knows better.

"He doesn't deserve the confusion. Especially not now."

"I don't think 'anything else' would work..."

Tap, tap, tap.

"Then find something that does."

Sorry, Flo. River isn't up to playing the dense alien game.

"We'll take this into consideration."

She means it, too.

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