Later that evening, after the crowds had dispersed and the exhibition hall had emptied, Marron found herself back in the test kitchen. Alone this time, with just her thoughts and the lingering smell of the day's cooking.
She stood at one of the polished counters, running her hand along its cool surface. Around her, the city glowed through the windows—neon and starlight mixing into something neither artificial nor natural, but somehow both.
Mokko appeared in the doorway, arms crossed. "Thought I'd find you here."
"Couldn't sleep."
"Too excited or too scared?"
Marron smiled faintly. "Both." She turned to face him. "Mokko, do you think people can change? Really change?"
He considered the question with unusual seriousness. "Yeah. I think so. But not into someone new. Just into... more of who they already were. Under all the armor."
"Is that what I'm doing? Taking off armor?"
