"Are those arguments on public record? I'd be so curious."

"Oui." <Partially at least. Let me send you a link...>

A moment later, it comes through as a new message on her system window. Camille eats lemon cake slowly, savoring it.

"Thanks!" Is there like file storage or something where she can stow that, she doesn't want to watch ambassadorial debates right now while trying to make friends.

The System has not lost track of any of her messages so far. There's also a notes feature.

<It's politics, so don't expect bastions of sanity, rationality, and morality,> Jean opines. <I'm surprised they didn't kick Aulia Velra off the Council sooner than the Gloss thing...>

"Gloss thing?"

<They did a monstrously strong, fate-bending luck wordchain of some sort and spread it across their whole family. When you look at the aftermath, that screwed a lot of things up for a lot of people- From dropping fresh muffins in a Velra's lap to political opponent's secrets being revealed. One of the Velra boys' schoolyard rival broke his leg, and it's all being blamed on the Gloss. This was... A month ago, I think?>

<Yes, just after we arrived at Intake. It didn't affect us personally but it's all anyone would talk about for a few days.>

"That's awful! Why did they do that?"

<Who knows? They're certainly doing their best to keep things quiet. That's what the Velras do. Rich people things, keep it hush-hush. Probably they had to impress some important wizard from the Triplanets and had to be in top form for it. Something like that.>

Camille purses her lips. <I think it has something to do with Hazel Velra. She was going to be stuck without Chainer unless they did it, I heard. That this poor boy got bamboozled into giving up the class in a trade to them at a funeral. It's just rumors, but that's the one that seems the best supported to me... Or maybe there were multiple reasons. Who knows, really.>

"Messed up! And they'd've had to pay it back, too, what'd they call down, a meteor?"

<Their yacht nearly sank. Car crashes. One of them flunked a test, apparently. Aulia getting booted from the council, maybe? It's hard to pick apart the general backlash and actual bad luck.>

"I guess it would be. Was this not... illegal?"

<Wordchains, being illegal? When a Velra is on the Council?>

<It is now, of course. They drafted new legislation about it, but it's being challenged by guess who.>

"I guess I was imagining it was legal in some more minor form."

<I think they're mostly moving to classify wordchains as just like any other potentially-destructive power now. Before, everyone thought they were too weak to merit that.>

"The ones they teach at the embassy are weaksauce, yeah."

<I only know Peace of Mind.> Camille shares her head. <So much else to do and learn...>

<I'm trying to learn Traveller's Pace but it's not going well.>

"I'm glad Peace of Mind exists for people who need it but it kind of freaks me out. Traveller's Pace was really handy when I still had dyspraxia, though I imagine I'll have less call for it going forward."

<Maybe you can tell me what I'm doing wrong?>

He switches to Artonan and does the hand gestures.

<Today, I am walking far. Let me borrow another's patient pace. I shall one day offer the gift of my own feet's ability in return.>

(He seems to have learned the gestures subtly wrong.)

"I think your pronunciation's close enough but your pinky's following your ring finger too much." She demonstrates the hand gestures.

He watches carefully, then attempts it. Too slow, but correct aside from that. 

<Like this? I don't know how people without Dexterity do this.>

"I think if you do it like that till you're solid enough and then speed up you'll be all set - it takes practice and weird hand exercises, our hand muscles aren't exactly like theirs, but it's doable!"

The French pair will keep chatting about shallow topics for the remainder of the meal, wandering from Intake gossip to the coolest power demos they've seen this week to debating what class famous historical figures would have gone for. Is there anything in particular Bella wants to talk about?

Gossip and random speculation is great, it helps her feel like this is a normal situation she is in. After they bus back she'll go up to her room to unpack.

Purple Guy is still there, on a laptop with headphones this time. One eye tracks her while the other keeps watching the laptop. He gives a hesitant little wave.

Wait, literally? Does he have some kind of Artonan eyeball mod?