"I'm afraid, Peninnah, that there seems to have been a misunderstanding. Many mutants whose parents are ignorant of their childrens' heritage tell them that they are something out of their cultures' myths. When you told my daughter you were an angel, she assumed that you were one of those. I think it's plain at this point that the situation is far more complicated than she or I had guessed."
"Sure magic exist. She do a magic with metal things," says Pen, pointing at Emily. "Unless is a technology? But looked a magic."
"Jane sort of sisteroid but not really. She a computer person and her daddy a one Daddy and her mommy a one Mommy, but she not a one Dars. Dars is purple and Jane green, Glass says."
"Dars one sister, then Keziah then Ariel then me. And yes, and, nobody knows neither not even Glass but she say so anyway and people being all one template also all same color."
"Broken door! It supposed going here from nice bar but goed here instead. And did not go back bar when opened again after notice, but of course, never do, doors don't like me like they liking Shell Bell or Princess Elspeth."
"Um? Oh. Am safed from things," Pen says. "Can let stuff like Sue. Sue even a mutant, can do like him or only do other kinds telepathing? Am sorry about the grammar but can't help."
"I think what's confusing me is what you're saying more than how you're saying it. You appear to be coming from a completely different cultural context, so of course there are things that would seem obvious to you that get left out of your explanation. And I don't know what exactly Sue can do. If it were under your control, and you could let me--or one of the students with telepahic ability, if that were more comfortable--in, briefly, it would be possible to glean a summary of your cultural background without touching your personal memories."
"Am eight, cannot just 'let in' things, what if some bad thing go with it? Only can let specific stuff. Sue, the one naked one Daddy saying name by magic, illusions, things. Cannot just say 'okay person do whatever' in case picking wrong person. Especially most mind stuff. If letting in bad thing for other wards just torch. If letting in bad thing for mind stuff maybe harder fix."
"Takes people from wherever," nods Pen, "usually put them back where getting them, but door break."