"It's been a weird month," X murmurs, barely audible; then he shakes his head and continues a little louder. "There were a few different times this month when the Dreaming pushed me or a friend into doing something we wouldn't normally do. I thought I'd better check. It's --"

X stops abruptly as he remembers what the city council announced several days before, and makes a self-deprecating groaning noise. "-- it's for Tine's Commemoration, isn't it? I'm sorry. I promise, I'm usually more graceful about gifts than this."