It's fairly effective.

They can't transmit grammar patterns through the translation aura as easily, but Walta thinks it will be okay, probably.

"The phrasebook should help there. And you seem like you learn pretty quick."

"I'm proud of that! Watching and listening is a lot easier than getting someone to actually teach you sometimes."

"That's how you learned to do mechanic stuff too?"

"At least at first. When I was 11 I knew enough to fetch the right tools and, like, tighten hydraulic connections, and then Eren let me watch from much closer and even taught me a little if I did chores like that. And then he got drafted... But I knew enough to figure out the rest on my own by then."

Nod. "- is he okay?"

"He's missing a finger now and doesn't like to talk about it. Still a mechanic though. We work together sometimes."

"Do you have a good way to get word to people who'd wonder where you went, without losing your door?"

"...Not really. If I threw a letter at someone or had you run it the Special Police would take it and probably interrogate whoever I address it to when they can't find me again later. But it's mostly just Eren. Maybe I should tell mom I'm going but I kind of don't, um. Like her anymore."

"...do you wanna talk about that, or, not?"

She shrugs. "Either way."

"...it'll be a lot harder to talk about it in a language you're just starting to learn so if you might want to talk about it in the next, like, year, I don't mind listening."

"It's just... She's not a mom anymore. Well, she is the person who had a baby with my dad, but. But. She doesn't like me, doesn't care. She doesn't like how I learned walkers or the primitive electricity we have, she yelled at me a lot and tried to make me learn 'ladylike' things and grounded me and gave me extra chores at first but she doesn't even do that anymore. She's just there. Looking at me like I'm bad. And now I'm, crying in front of someone I just met, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," says Bella, "um, do you want a hug?"

"Yeah, I could use a hug."

Hug.

Hug. And sniffling quietly.

When she unhugs, "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"I wish my mom acted like a mom. At least it makes it easier to leave."

"Yeah. It'd suck if you had to decide between running away from an awful place or staying with a - comfortable family."

"Yeah."

"...Hey I should maybe tell you something. Um. How do I even phrase it."

"...I really can't help you there without knowing what it is."

"Does your world or your religion freak out about um, gender and romance things?"

"I don't have a religion, personally? What gender and romance things?"

"Unusual romance preferences."