S a l e t é I I

XV - Côtes - Douze

"Really?"

"Yeah. There's two, a man and a woman, but the woman is only sixteen. She's more like a big sister to us."

Cassia had remained up on the edge of the second-floor platform, Uliana and Sleeves right alongside her. Over the course of that time, the factory child girl begun asking her a whole range of questions; where are you from, what's your house like, who lives with you... She'd been happy to answer, and the fond memories they'd brought up had helped with her already fair mood.

"Your house sounds so cool. I used to live with my mum, over with all of the other folks." Sleeves was saying in response, waving one of her arms in the direction of the housing district that Cassia had already seen several times. She didn't elaborate further, and Cassia didn't pry, as much as her curiosity was on the rise again.

"Is this place like ours? You know, a bunch of people who just stick together?" She asked instead.

"Pretty much! Chief is the one who looks after us all, he's basically the boss." Sleeves began to explain, gesturing down to where he was sat below them with Monet.

They'd been talking quietly, and Cassia hadn't really been able to hear anything that they were saying, but he looked upbeat for the most part - even if Monet commonly had that less than cheerful look on her own face.

"He says he isn't the strongest though, ever since his hand got messed up, so that's why we have Captain with us too. What's that saying? About smart people being with tough people?"

"Brains and brawn, you mean?" Uliana replied.

"Yeah, that's it. That's what they are." Sleeves concluded.

Cassia could see that in the two of them. The whole time they'd been talking earlier, Captain had remained nearby, just around the corner of one of the machines they'd had to walk by in order to reach the central area, almost as if he wished to be on hand for any possible instructions from his friend.

It also explained why he got the really big knife.

"Does Monet come here often? With her friends?" Cassia asked, not really addressing one of her current companions in particular as she looked their way again - both of them sat to her right.

"Every couple of days, I think? Once a week? It's kind of hard to tell sometimes." Sleeves replied, to which Uliana gave a fairly confident nod.

"Sounds about right. It depends on whether or not we find stuff to swap."

"And do you guys visit her too? Sorry about all the questions, I just..."

"Questions are good! Chief says that we should question everything." Sleeves quickly reassured her, appearing very sure of herself as she recounted such a lesson, and Cassia was glad that she wasn't coming across as annoying. Uliana gave her a more friendly look too, as if she found her concerns silly.

"We don't visit Monet though. I'd love to, but she hasn't actually told us where she lives." Sleeves said afterwards, answering her original query.

"Huh? How come?" Cassia asked, confusion quickly taking hold.

Everyone seemed to be getting along well, and it was apparent that these meet ups had been taking place for a while, so...?

"She's fussy about that kind of thing." Uliana began to explain now, both girls focusing on her.

"She doesn't like the idea of leading anyone back to our hideout, just in case. Anyone."

"We've tried getting someone to follow her back a few times after she's left here, but she always notices." Sleeves added, to which Uliana smiled, perhaps as she recalled occasions where those spies had been discovered.