"I know. We won't let that happen."

"Good."

"Nothing helps?"

"With my indescribable suffering? No. Nothing helps."

"Okay. I kind of want to act like you're not suffering indescribably, if nothing I do is going to matter anyway. Is that okay?"

"Yes."

"It's really nice to meet you! Can I show you Menegroth? It's really pretty."

"Yes, I would like that."

"Thank you! These are our escort, because Mum and Dad are extremely paranoid, they mean well though, I try to be patient. Can I hold your hand?"

"Yes."

She takes her hand. "I always wanted a sister. How old are you?"

"About four decades."

"Aww. You should pick a day so we can have birthday parties."

"When do you think it should be?"

"If I got to pick my birthday I think I'd go for the spring, and a day that I liked."

"It seems thematic to make it today but I am not sure if that would be appropriate."

"Awww, that's a great idea. Yeah. Let's do that."

"Okay. Then it is my birthday today."

"Happy birthday. Can I sing?"

"Yes."

She sings. Beautifully.

Shirask thinks about her complete inability to appreciate her sister's singing, and this is awful enough on the right wavelengths to get her to actually laugh.

Oh, good.

It's satisfying, in a certain way, to be able to produce the right reactions even if she can't use the right feelings to generate them.

She walks her through Menegroth. They're surrounded by guards. She points out everything and explains it. "How do you speak our language?"