What not to do in an empty book store

Dot was not, in fact, wrapped up in pink. She was wrapped up in green, from her like been bobble hat to her dark green boots. Even her jeans were been instead of blue. She'd prefer to wear a dress or at least a skirt, but Bird didn't like wearing those when they were going shopping because he didn't want to end up wearing them himself. The girl wasn't really sure why he didn't just let her pay, but each time she asked him to teach her he just said, 'stray cat,' and left it at that.

Really Dot was just as smart as Bird with mental stuff. She just pretty much had no social experience. Other than her short time on the island, any experiences in public had been from behind Peregrine's eyes. Even the few times she had been out at home, her only experience had been with her Mommy. Now that she was allowed to be in public, Dot had been gaining a little more confidence. She already seemed to deal better with the supernatural than her brother did, especially demons.

At the moment the fishy girl was just randomly browsing the shelves, occasionally picking up a book that looked nice or had an interesting title. She had already picked up the books she wanted. They were a random assortment that including a book on making sushi, a Little Mermaid colouring book, and some informational books on magic. Bird wasn't quite ready to let her learn how to actually do magic on her own. Dot wasn't actually looking for anything right now and not paying much attention to her surroundings. She was mostly just procrastinating going up to the counter to pay because she didn't want to stop being out right now.

The book Dot was looking at when Inky looked over her shoulders had a half-naked man embracing a woman with a bikini top who may have been a mermaid. The title, Siren's Call, was written in gold-looking script at the bottom. The title was the reason Dot had given the book a closer look. Although now that she was looking, it did seem sort of interesting. Especially since Bird was acting all shocked in her head at the skimpiness of the outfit. She was thinking back at him, Hey, she lives underwater! What do you expect? But Bird was not satisfied with that answer. The guy doesn't live underwater! Besides this is a book for adults. And a romance. It's too inappropriate for you.

Dot was getting a little tired of being babied by her brother and forgot herself enough to start speaking out loud, "I am an adult! I mean, I could be. What's wrong with romance anyways? Just cause you've never been kissed doesn't mean I don't like reading about it. Besides, in The Little Mermaid, she had a bikini and there was kissing and romance stuff."

Bird sighed in her head and was about to explain the difference between Disney romance and romance novels with half-naked people on the covers when they were interrupted by an older boy. He just reminded her gently that she didn't need to speak out loud, and watched cautiously from behind Dot's eyes.

"Oh! You startled me mister!" The fishy girl giggled. "I'm not a little girl!" She said in a high-pitched girl's voice. "I mean - I'm a girl, but I'm just short! I guess I could be little... I don't actually know how old I am! Sometimes I'm a teenager, though. Oh... Do you work here? And my name's Dot, what's your name?"

She looked down at the books she was holding and the book in her hands. "I'm just looking for books. I found ones I know I wanted, but there could be more!" She showed him the romance novel. "Bird says I'm too young for romance! What do you think mister?"

Dot was distracted enough at first by the older boy actually agreeing with her that she didn't notice he hadn't actually answered her other questions, including what his name was. "That's just what I said! Love should be for everybody! Bird said this book is inappropriate because it's a romance and for adults. But I've seen lots of people do kissing things that are even younger than me! Well... maybe younger than me."

Bird had noticed that the boy hadn't said what his name was and also that he'd called his sister dearie, which seemed an odd thing for someone who wasn't an old man to say. He also was annoyed at Dot for missing the point and making him look bad. But the boy didn't seem to be deliberately undermining him, it had just been an offhand comment. Besides if Bird transformed back now with no reason, Dot would just get all pouty and not listen to him at all.

He did try to clarify that the book was probably about more than kissing and not particularly about love. But he decided if she did insist on getting it, he'd just take it to the counter and not buy it. After all, he was still the one who was going to be paying. He also didn't mention that they still didn't know the boy's name. She'd figure it out eventually or maybe she'd just have a whole conversation and never get their name, then wouldn't she be embarrassed when she realised.

Dot internally stuck out her tongue at Bird before moving onto the boy's next question. "Oh! I actually like lots of books! I haven't been able to be out much until I got to this island so I want to catch up on everything. I just - want to learn everything I can. I'm not stupid either. I might look like a little girl, but I don't read like one. Well... except for the colouring books I guess, but that's like doing art. Most of my books are educational. Like this one." The girl held up the sushi-making book. She sighed a little. "I've got a bunch of books about magic too. But Bird thinks I'm not ready to learn how to actually do magic. He's going to college on a supernatural island like this and all he's interested in learning about is his silly singing. I actually want to learn stuff that would only be taught here and he doesn't want me to." Her pout was making her look quite fishy, "It's not fair!"