S a l e t é I I

XVI - Griffes - Treize

Whilst she may have taken the time to brace herself for a lack of findings across the old street, such preparation never really took the edge off of disappointment entirely. As Cassia had expected, there had been nothing to help her in sending her letter on offer, leading to her accompanying the others back to the warehouse with only the things from the junkyard in tow. Those things did help to keep her spirits up a little more, but there was an inevitable, dulled hit to her mood.

Uliana was intent on making an effort to shave that sensation away again, from the moment the three of them decided that it was time to make their way back to the warehouse.

"Don't worry Cassia, someone is going to turn up soon. There's no way you're the only one who wants to send something somewhere." She was saying as they began to ascend the slope that marked the edge of the street.

"The post office is on the other side of Lower Merveille, isn't it?" Cassia asked in return, several thoughts coming to her at once, Monet the one to answer this time, the older girl speaking up before Uliana had a chance to reply.

"It's a Sabre depot, not a post office specifically. It does send things to and from Lower Merveille, as one of its functions."

"Is there really no way we could go there ourselves? Are the Sabre people that bad?"

"You've experienced a taste of what they do to roaming Jouets around here. I suggest that unless you want them to have another go at fracturing your skull, you stay away."

Monet's response had been a little sharper this time, if not as sharp as the blow Cassia had received days ago now. She had to admit, recalling that entire incident was a rather compelling argument for not having a wander over to the opposite end of their corner of the city.

Acquainting Lower Merveille with the rest of Merveille just wouldn't click in Cassia's mind. Even the "Merveille" in the name "Lower Merveille" didn't make her think of the city she'd observed from her garden so many times in the past.

"Once those courier people show up, all we've got to do is give them something good, and they'll take your letter over there for you. Easy! You won't even have to think about it!" Uliana said, reaching the top of the slope now, skipping ahead of Cassia so that she could turn and offer some assistance to her.

"Does the depot do stamps? Couldn't we just get one there? Or, um, couldn't the courier person get one?" Cassia asked next, considering each possibility as they came to her.

"I'm sure that they do, but then you would probably owe the courier extra. They may want something for the trip, and then something for the stamp." Monet began.

"And that's assuming that the courier is chipped."

"Chipped...?"

"If they're chipped, they can pay for a stamp. Simple. The Sabre staff aren't exactly going to barter with things like the rest of us."

Oh. Cassia felt silly for not considering that sooner.

"But... No one down here actually has one of those chip things, do they...?" She asked, much more timid with this particular question, her hope quickly beginning to slip away.

"Not everyone. There are some who still carry a chip."

"There are?"

The drain on her hope paused again, just as suddenly as it had started in the first place, a degree of whiplash following that shift.

Ugh. Some certainty with something for a change would have been nice.

"As shady as they are, they have their uses, the primary one being the ability to pay for things. There are people from up top who come here to work, either because it's easier or for some other reason. Seeing as couriers interact with Merveille, to an extent, they - "