S a l e t é I V

XL - Creux - Six

"Chief! They're here!"

Sleeves had been waiting at the end of the corridor leading up from Captain's door for the girls to arrive, the presence of the young man apparently not enough in her books, immediately calling out when she saw him letting Cassie and Monet inside. 

News relayed, she was soon in another rush, almost charging down to meet their guests with all of her usual vigour.

Cassie wouldn't have wanted things to be any different.

"They're nearly ready." Sleeves informed them as she gave Cassia the hug she'd been looking forward to, the act another source of strength for the voyage ahead, the girl not extending the same gesture to Monet as she instead chose to give her space. 

To her gentle surprise, the older Jouet put an arm around her for a moment, the closeness short lived yet welcome.

"It's up to you to keep things running here whilst we're gone." Monet told her, Sleeves accepting the task with a single, firm nod, even if she did have some reservations that she shared with them as they headed further inside together.

"I'm not scared or anything, I'd come with you if I could, but I'm not gonna bother asking... Chief's already said that it could be dangerous." She explained, Cassia acknowledging her bravery with a proud grin regardless.

"Are you scared?" She asked Cassie as they walked close beside one another, nearly bumping arms.

"A bit. That's a good thing though, I think."

"Indeed. It may help you to remain vigilant, provided that you do not let the feeling run amok." Monet said, her idea the very same that had been behind Cassia's response, her younger companion glad that they were on the same wavelength.

Inside the main chamber, much of the ground floor was shrouded in the natural darkness that she had long been immune to, some of the candles that had been illuminating the right hand side of the disused conveyer now burned down to nothing and in need of replacement. The meeting area was still well prioritised and well lit, and Cassie could see that Chief and Spears were making some final preparations nearby - the latter boy returning from a trip upstairs with a bag that he handed to his friend - but they weren't the only ones in attendance.

Connie was sat on one of the chairs with her right arm outstretched as Sunshine wrapped what looked like a small bandage of sorts around it, slightly below the elbow, a scene that caused Cassie some immediate concern. Neither girl looked particularly worried, though that didn't stop her from checking in with them first as they began to draw close.

"Are you okay?" She asked Connie as she reached the fringes of the light, the teenager only noticing her as she did so, an embarrassed smile of sorts her initial reaction.

"Yeah, fine. I was heading down this alley on the way over today and I caught my arm on this scraggy metal thing." She explained, continuing right away when she saw that Cassia was barely reassured by the story.

"It's alright, it's not that big a deal. Still, I uh... Aimée said I shouldn't leave it."

"If I can patch you up, then I'm going to, sweetheart." Sunshine replied, firm in her opinion, the way in which Connie's embarrassment was renewed something that Cassie found somewhat charming.

She was looking well again. There was still colour in her face, and her outfit was holding up, things in the way of wear and dirt not giving her too much trouble.

"She brought us some stuff we shared again." Sleeves told Cassie, making sure that she knew as the boys continued readying themselves, Monet now assisting.