S a l e t é I I

XX - Dents - Deux

Monet and the others were absent for a longer period of time than usual, such an extension only natural when one considered the extra distance that they had to cover. 

How far away were they going, to be precise? This Red District, as it was called, how far did one have to walk in order to actually reach it? Cassia had no idea, no way of telling, and so all she could do was be patient. Small worries were always with her when anyone was away - were they staying safe, had anything happened, had they run into trouble - but such concerns were alleviated this time around, the knowledge that they would again be forming a larger group with the factory children proving to be reassuring in that regard.

She was mindful of the makeshift entrance, making sure to pay attention to it as time went on, almost as if she was the guard for the day. Monet hadn't selected her for such a duty, though seeing as it was a tradition for someone to be on watch, she'd basically adopted the role for herself.

Zisel's company had continued to keep her spirits up in the meantime, and she'd shared a few more stories with her pertaining to her life in Merveille when she'd asked, the blind girl listening with the utmost interest as she heard each account. She was especially impressed by the tale of Cassia's visit to La Caserne, as whilst she hadn't heard of the venue, she had heard of places of its calibre. The way she spoke of them made them sound almost mythical, as if they were mere fables that didn't really exist, and Cassia couldn't blame her for framing them in such a way when she contemplated the standards that she and the others were so accustomed to.

She hadn't gone into the specifics of the night. Instead, she'd simply recounted the ambience, the artwork she'd seen, the music she'd heard and the class of people she'd mixed with. As she'd made such recollections, they'd all carried an almost dreamlike feeling, and she almost hesitated from time to time as she asked herself questions laced in a similar aura; had that really happened? Had she really been there? It was an event that wasn't really even in the distant past, and yet it felt as if it had unfolded years ago. 

"It sounds incredible though, all those people in such a fancy place... I'd love to go somewhere like that. I'd wear a nice dress, definitely blue, stylish, not too glaring."

Zisel sounded as if she had it all worked out, something that Cassia found rather sweet. Regardless, she was quick to issue her warning.

"Are you sure? It's not all great."

"Why not?"

"There's all these rules you have to remember. You know, etiquette stuff. I had to learn two different curtseys, and that was the easy part, because after that there's even..."

Her accounts of the rules in question - or at least the ones she could remember - carried them further into the day, and laughing over some of the more obscure ones was surprisingly therapeutic, both in the present and in hindsight. Even so, she had the impression that Zisel was the sort of girl who would pick up on such matters quickly if she had to, and she was sure that Monet would be quite the professional if she was presented with them too. 

Uliana, on the other hand...

Eventually, the three adventurers returned to the warehouse, the sound of their approach immediately catching Cassia's attention, as if a match had been struck against her senses. The quiet air that had descended upon the building was suddenly replaced by a spark of anticipation, a feeling that only rose further as Monet opened the way inside for the gang. Even Taya made her way over to observe their entrance, swaying gently on the spot in her typical motions as she watched the oldest girl in particular.

At a glance, Uliana didn't appear to be especially eager to share anything, or especially enthralled by anything that she might have seen, although she did liven up as she spotted her friends who had stayed behind. Klavdiya, on the other hand, appeared to be rather weary, a distinct tiredness rooted in her expression, and Cassia quickly realised that longer excursions were not her usual forte. She didn't begin pelting them with questions just yet - as much as she wanted to - instead giving them the time they needed to get in and get organised.