The second shift ends at ten in the evening, and she hurries outside, almost fumbling on the stairs, eyes lighting up on the sight of the market.
A dozen of eggs, a few canned meat, a bag of greens, like she had always done every week. A sight of the sweets store stops her on her tracks and after contemplating for a while, proceeds to enter.
"Welcome- oh. It's quite rare to see an official office worker come here. And a plain human at that."
She's still wearing her gray coat and the brooch hangs on it like something sore to look at for others. But she goes ahead and approaches the old woman who looks at her warily in return, who might seem to be weaker in physique but her bright turquoise eyes has succeeded in unnerving her. Possibly an elemental. She really should have put some attention to the briefing done to them before she officially started with her work.
"Um… I have a niece and she's actually turning eight, tomorrow, so, I wanted to buy something for her."
"Are you sure you'd like to waste some of your points in this measly store?"
"A bar of chocolate will do. I believe."
"Ooh, one of the more costly ones. Cocoa is scarce, so you do know that chocolate is a privilege right now. Right? As much as I can make things grow, I can't do anything with something I don't have a reference with."
She nods and looks at the small set of chocolates in the glass casing, and points to one packed in light pink foil.
"I'll have that one please, and can you put it in a gift box? I'll pay for it as well."
"… the box is free of charge. But don't demand for high quality materials."
"I appreciate that, I won't mind it, as long as it looks like a proper gift. She's been… the only light I have right now."
"What kind of criminals were your parents?"
She looks at her with unsure gaze.
"It's the usual reason for someone like you who can respond coherently to be stuck here. When you can be having a normal life out there. You feel too… normal. And I'm not saying this simply because you're human and I'm not."
"… they we're thieves. Though their biggest crime was scamming a casino and giving the money taken to an orphanage, where they both came from."
She smiles at the memory of them, despite being branded as bad guys, they were good parents.
"Isn't it funny? The mere criminals who got taken in because of their petty crimes suffer the same as everyone else, even killers and psychopaths and monsters who have destroyed so much. While the ones above are still living comfortably in the center of this city. You don't believe the ads from the council saying that everyone's equal here under the law, do you?"
"I'm sorry but... I'd rather not talk about it."
The older one notices how she tensed up with their topic and proceeds to finish packing the gift and handing it to her in a careful manner.
"Smiling fits you well. I do hope your niece would smile as well once she receives it."
"Thank you."
She bows in return for her words and signals her to move out of her store already, upon the arrival of new customers.
She bows back as well and puts the box at the bottom part of her bag, covering it with her handkerchief and hugging it again in front of her.
The travel home always felt easier when it's this late at night already despite the mix of who are in the tube, and she looks outside the window, feeling calmer than this morning, seeing the city lights dying one by one signaling the end of the day, some sirens and car lights replacing them, signaling the start of the nightly round-up of the police force.
She reaches home and sees her neighbor with her sleeping niece on her back, waving at her and giving her thanks before taking the youngster on her own arms and placing her on the bed, before going back outside.
"Thank you as always, you've been a great help again."
"Don't mind it, you've been a big help to my business as well."
The other notices the cuts on her cheek when they moved somewhere brighter, below the streetlamp already flickering for about a week now.
"Mr. Allen will be having a fit when he sees that."
"It's accident at work. I don't think he'll mind it… he doesn't look at my face most of the time anyways."
"But you know how he thinks of her playthings, he's the only one who can beat them, no one else. Good luck to the survival skills of whoever did that to you. You know there are no literal healers here who can fix you back to good as new. The healthcare here is bullshit. Do they think criminals miraculously survive any strain they get into?"
"…I'll just change clothes and follow you to the night chamber."
"Na-uh, I'll be waiting here or end up bald just because I didn't make sure you wouldn't be scratched in any way whatsoever. Please make sure he doesn't make me go bald. I just had Lady Eve fix my hair for me. See all these sea waves?"
"Of all the things he can do and all you thought about is your long curls being gone when they can just grow back. Worry about the possibility of losing a limb instead."
"Of course he won't do that, if you kindly talk to him. Will you?"
"Fine."
"I have my men update your house security system so you don't need to worry that much anymore while you're working with us."
"Thank you Norma, I owe you a lot."
"Tsk, how many times I told you to call me Lady Dee when we're about to go to work kitten? You know how you almost slip out my real name every time? You know I love you dear but you're also giving me headache at the same time."
"Fine, fine, my mistake. Lady Dee."
"Very good! Now I'll wait here so hurry up dear."
She changes into black tights and a large jacket to cover herself up until she reaches her other workplace, kisses her niece on the forehead and locks her home before following the other.