"...alien cat. Uh, some people like cats and some people don't."

"Like! I like hurt."

"That... seems like a personal matter..."

"I like hurt," she says, and holds out her hands at more than shoulder width. "Magic. Illia not like hurt." She brings her hands about a palm's width apart. "Magic."

"...masochism gives you magical powers?" says Cadra incredulously.

She shakes her head. "Magic hurt. I like hurt, I do magic. Illia not like hurt, Illia do less magic."

"...oh. How odd. Why does it work like that?"

She shrugs.

"Huh." Her pocket everything chirps; she looks at it. "The senator will be along in a moment. You can put all our hair back now if you don't mind."

Hair returns to colors starting with the letter B.

Cadra checks hers. "Great, thank you."

Nod. Smile.

And the senator comes in. His hair is also, differently blue. He peers at the aliens. (Cadra bows.)

Odette is not part of this legal system and gives a jaunty wave.

Illia is slightly politer but only inclines her head instead of bowing.

He doesn't take offense. "I'm told you can understand Oahkar but are still learning to speak it."

She nods. "Translation magic."

"How do you know it's magic?" he wonders.

...She gives him a confused look.

"- historically, whenever Amentans have thought something was magic, it has turned out to have another explanation," he says.

"Amentans don't magic."

"Mm. Where did you come from?"

"Genosha."

"Where is that relative to Amenta?"

Shrug.