S a l e t é I I

XX - Dents - Onze

"Monet's here!"

Sweets had immediately rushed off towards the door to the factory that was most commonly used after she had spotted the Jouet girl climbing the perimeter wall, where she started knocking in a persistent manner. Cassia had no trouble hearing her before Monet lifted her up, allowing her to see what was going on as she dropped down to the other side.

Sweets wasn't the only one outside. She'd been playing with Sleeves in the courtyard, where they'd been drawing on an unobstructed patch of ground with chalk, whilst Shipshape and Spears were organising something over on the far side of the space, assisting one another in moving a fairly large crate of some kind. What they were up to was anyone's guess, but the younger boy soon spotted them as they made their entrance, acknowledging them with a rather confident grin.

"Alright, alright, cut it out with the noise."

Captain had spoken from the other side of the door that Sweets had been banging her fist upon, sounding about as cheerful as he normally was, such a tone doing nothing to dissuade her. He opened the door without a fuss this time, seeing as some of his own were already out there with them, although he did not emerge to provide any sort of greeting of his own.

"Cassie!"

Cassia was soon faced with Sleeves running over to join them, the sight of her so full of hype because of their arrival giving her a sudden rush of glee. That glee soon became worry, as she thought that the girl would crash right into her with a hefty hug, though thankfully she managed to stop just short of doing so, a bright smile of her own now prominent. It was hard to stay focused on the purpose of their visit with such a display before her, and yet she felt as if she could have a small lapse in her attention for the young miss at the very least.

"Oh, no love for me then? I see how it is."

Uliana's protesting amused them both, earning knowing looks from the two of them.

"I missed you too, dummy. I miss all of you when you're away!" Sleeves insisted, only Uliana didn't look especially convinced, continuing to play things up.

"Is that why you don't come running for me? Or is it because Cassie is still new and exciting?"

They'd been following Monet as they'd gotten straight in on catching up with their bickering, Cassia simply happy to be involved, her sense of importance returning only when they approached the entrance. 

Focus, Cassia. You can mess around later.

"Chief is upstairs right now, I think. Just call Gunner, he'll fetch him." Sweets said to Monet as she approached the way inside, the younger girl having been waiting to one side.

"Thank you, dear."

Monet's response got a rather notable amount of joy from the smaller girl, just another reaction that Cassia found most endearing.

Their leader wasted no time, making her way indoors without pausing along the way, passing by Captain on her way in. The boy had moved out of the way so that they could enter without any trouble, and unlike the others he paid them no heed outside of a hardened gaze, something that had absolutely no effect whatsoever on Monet herself. Uliana attempted to get a more affectionate look out of him by offering one of her own, an effort that yielded no results, whilst Cassie tried to give him a genuine smile, only to fall short when she felt his stare upon her.

That was still something she had to get used to. Why was he so frosty with his reception, anyway? Maybe he was practicing that tough image that a good guard might have needed... Whatever the case was, she didn't take it personally, and she was sure that the others didn't either.