S a l e t é I I

XIX - Épaules - Sept

Everyone sounded as if they were in decent spirits again following Uliana's return to the ground floor, Klavdiya in particular clearly much more satisfied than she had been earlier. Cassia didn't get a chance to ask them about what the girl had said in order to clear the air, and she wasn't entirely sure if asking such a question was for the best. If they'd settled matters, then it was probably best to simply move on. 

The reason that she hadn't initially gotten an opportunity to bring it up was because Uliana actually asked her something first.

"Were you talking to Taya just now?" She'd asked, visible surprise on her face.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Why?" Cassia replied as she joined them, taking her seat after placing Polina in one of her own.

"Ooh, recognition! You're moving up." Zisel said, a gentle giggle accompanying her words, though Cassia wasn't entirely sure about that.

"I don't know about me. She was more interested in Polina." She explained, gesturing to her small friend. Seeing her there, on such a basic chair, made her seem highly out of place. 

A nice, prestigious seat would have suited her far more, perhaps a throne?

After getting settled, the discussion soon returned to the nature of Lower Merveille and its past, just as she'd expected – and hoped. Uliana confirmed several of Cassia's suspicions, in that she was aware of a great deal of what they were talking about and what they'd overheard, both in the context of the past elements and the current rumours, even if her way of speaking about them was not as eloquent as Zisel's. Even so, confusion served as an undertone for her accounts, as hers stemmed from a presumably different crowd. According to the people she'd once known, all of the old so called "bosses" from Lower Merveille's industrial past had died, either back during its fall from prominence or in the years that followed.

Uliana had also stressed that most of what she knew had subsequently been cleared up or stringed together by Monet for the sake of clarification, and that whilst she knew a fair few things, she was sure that the girl in red would have been able to do a much better job of explaining it all, which Cassia was sure was true.

Judging by her contribution to the speculation, Uliana gave the impression that she wasn't expecting much.

"Why would anyone from Merveille want to come down here? All of the things they used to do are already up there now."

"That's literally what I said earlier." Klavdiya quickly replied in agreement, a dispassionate presence within her voice as she considered the prospect.

"I don't think anyone would really be happy to see them either, to be honest. Hey, it's us! Those guys that ditched you ages ago!" Uliana continued, and it was a sentiment that Cassia could wholly understand, Zisel appearing to agree as she gave a few slow nods.

Had they ditched Lower Merveille all those years ago, though? From what she'd heard so far, Cassia was quite sure that it hadn't been a simple series of affairs. Why would people just up and leave all of a sudden when they had such a notable presence? It hadn't sounded like a conscious decision, or like one that those involved would have liked to ultimately come to.

With everyone back on good terms, the group could once again focus on getting through what remained of the day within their warehouse abode. Taya kept to herself again for the most part, only deviating from her usual routine to speak to Zisel at one point, asking the older girl a handful of harmless questions whilst alluding to the fact that her current set of crayons was beginning to wear down. 

"Been busy. Lots of work, don't need help yet." The youngster had said. 

Uliana and Klavdiya settled further into normality by returning to aiming teasing comments at each other, something that Cassia took as pure confirmation that their feud had been dealt with.

What had felt like a tremendous falling out had turned out to be little more than a bump in the road... Given that they all shared a relatively confined space, a little upheaval was to be expected now and then - maybe what she'd witnessed between them was just that? 

She hoped that she wouldn't end up in a standoff with any of the girls...

After spending a considerable amount of time with the girls around the fire, and after partaking in more of their schemes designed to stir up amusement - the latest involving juggling stones they'd picked up from just outside, Uliana and Klavdiya in particular vying for the title of who could keep it up for the longest time - Cassia retreated to the backroom in order to relax on the old sofa for a while, Zisel going with her.

Cassia had come to realise that she now carried the scent of smoke, an obvious result of the many hours she'd spent around reused drums holding flames. It was something she didn't notice very often, or rather something she didn't really think about. As she put her feet up for a while that day, it crossed her mind. 

Did it mean that her clothes were ruined? Would they have to be thrown away? She doubted that even Roslindis and her most powerful techniques would have been able to shift the smoky presence, as it was thoroughly ingrained within the fabric by now.

Oh well. They were only clothes. Besides, they were still perfectly wearable. She'd somehow managed to avoid any major damage so far.

Some quiet time with Zisel was the ideal balance that she'd needed after another session with Uliana and Klavdiya, even if laying down wasn't as comfortable as she'd hoped. It was still nice, especially after a trip to the old street or anywhere else, but those now familiar sensations returned if she remained inactive for too long - the slight tightness in her arms and legs, particularly around her rounded joints, her neck and her back. 

Moving again, or even just sitting up shifted a lot of those feelings, although it took a while to dispel them almost entirely. Periods of rest were interspersed with the occasional stretches because of this.

With the typical combination of time with the others, whether they were messing around, simply talking or even just sat together in relative quietness, things inevitably continued on. With what must have been each passing day, Cassia couldn't help but think of her letters and where they might have been, or how far along in their journey that they were.

Had they left Lower Merveille yet? Were they on their way up top? Maybe the couriers still had other places to visit first... What if they were already up there, and on their way home?

Thankfully, she didn't have too much time to drive herself mad with such thoughts, as Monet always came along to spur them into action. For the next trip, which would be to the old street and its surrounding areas in the hopes that they might have been able to find a few things - without having to go all the way out to the junkyard just yet - she selected Uliana and Cassia.

As they made their preparations for the journey ahead, Cassia still made a point of appreciating what it was like to have an actual sense of purpose she could really focus on. With her own matters seen to for the immediate future, she was free to devote herself to Monet and the group, her desire to repay their continued kindness still burning within her. Being able to address that desire, with nothing immediate to worry about, was something she had absolutely come to value after the weeks of uncertainty she'd been stuck with.

"Are we ready to go?" Monet asked them after she had seen to her own things, and as she adjusted her backpack for the walk ahead. 

"I think so. Oh, Taya needs new crayons again." Cassia told her as she stood firm, ready to move.

"And we could do with something fun to do too. It doesn't matter what, as long as it's something new." Uliana added, and whilst Monet didn't take such a request too seriously, she at least looked as if she could understand where it was coming from.

Something new would have always been welcome... Cassia had found herself longing for TV, or for her boardgames, or... 

TV...? Television? There was a thought. Had she missed the start of the new season of Princess Valencia? It had been set to begin fairly soon after the movie, and...

It was hardly the most pressing matter, but...

"Alright. A look couldn't hurt." Monet said as she began to lead the way forward, such a statement alone visibly getting Uliana's hopes up. 

Cassia followed behind them, as she liked to be able to keep an eye on both of her companions at once, such an alignment serving to grant her just a small degree of extra comfort.