They appear in midair, visible out of a few thirtieth-floor apartments.
One starts to fall. The other catches her by the arm, flings out - wing-shapes of light - and slows her, spiraling down until they're at street level.
"That is very kind of you but Anitam does not have hungry children and has rules about how to help other countries in need because we don't want - countries to be irresponsible on purpose knowing the responsible ones will fix it. That sounds very unkind but - it is worse next year if we are thoughtless this year."
"The government is not sure how to - let you meet everyone you want but not let you be manipulated by a country that will lie or think you haven't thought of the responsible-next-year problem. That's why they are saying wait until you have learned more. You can say no, I want to meet everyone now, if you think they are deciding wrong."
"It's probably a good idea to wait. I'm not sure how long. It's tempting to say until I can read Anitami all right but that could take a long time."
"All the other countries have some people who can speak Anitami so at least you would not have to learn other things too. I think it is reasonable to take your time."
"If at some point I no longer require translation maybe Penumbra will teach you more languages."
Penumbra nods.
"When elementals coalesce they know all the languages spoken anywhere in the world at that time," Maurabel says.
...giggle. "We started talking to them more because we invented writing, and new ones knew about that and told the others, and they came to see what was going on!"
"You just talk, and correct him when he tries to say things but gets them wrong, or supply words he's trying to find."
"...I can try," Penumbra says, and she switches languages.
"I think that's Siruscan," says Maurabel.
"I guess that makes two of us. I guess I don't really know what to talk about? I guess two of us don't really know what to talk about? I guess that makes what?"
She wraps herself in her wings but they are invisible and not very good for hiding behind. She corrects his grammar.
"Am I upsetting her?" he asks his father in Anitami.
"I think she's just shy. - and expecting us to get pushy on the planets thing."
"Uh huh." And to Penumbra - "I know what to talk about, elementals. Talk about elementals?"