Nene, despite no longer being a fire-breathing newt and all, snorted at that. "Oh c'mon. I'm not that scary. Spirits or Aethies or whatever you wanna call 'ems aren't scary either. Not more'n People. So what if somebody hangs round with 'em? Should be about cooperation and gettin shit done."

The last, she fairly spit, curling her toes disdainfully in the grass.

All of a sudden, she froze, looked down at herself, and snapped her fingers. A bit of filmy golden material faded in across her freckles, although one of her breasts remained quite bare.

"Speakina which. Anyway. Explain this to me! How does anybody get anythin' done where yer from if people belong to spirits and somehow that's bad? I seriously do not get it."