Arcana (Hermes)/Side Tale 3

===As You Like It===
Characters involved: , 
Dialogue
(Gyrate: A gallery in Gyrate)
: What special surprise do you have for me this time?
(ARCANA: Union Ops Chief, Good at Painting & Forgery)
Arcana muses to himself as he strolls the art gallery, entirely oblivious to Mona who is watching stealthily from the entrance.
: What is Arcana keep doing in the gallery?
(MONA: Union Ops Chief, Arcana’s Squad Member)
: He keeps visiting on his days off. I want to find out why…
Store Owner: *Heavy sigh*…
: (I’d rather not bother her.)
Arcana slips past the snoring gallery manager and continues strolling down the hallway.
: This painting is tilted at a most unfortunate angle. Let me help with that.
: Ah, got it! Perhaps I’d better just leave my paintings behind the front desk.
Mona’s brow furrows as she watches Arcana strolling through the gallery, adjusting the angle of various artworks.
: What on earth is he doing with these paintings?
: I remember now! Didn’t he used to be a famous art thief? No way…
Mona enters the gallery without a moments hesitation.
: Arcana, what do you think you’re doing?
: !
Store Owner: Ah?! Who’s that?
: My apologies. Sorry for bothering you. This is my friend, Mona.
: She can be rather abrupt at times. Please forgive her.
: I…
Mona is about to explain herself when Arcana cuts her off with a subtle gesture.
Store Owner: Oh, carry on, carry on! I thought a thief had broken in or something.
The manager sighs. She then notices a large number of items inexplicably accumulated behind her counter.
Store Owner: Eh? What’s all this then?
: Oh, my new paintings. I was planning to present them as a surprise after lunch.
: But I can do it now, since you’ve noticed them already
Store Owner: ???
Arcana produces a bouquet of brilliant roses from somewhere within his hat and presents it to the manager of the gallery.
Store Owner: Oh, you shouldn’t have!
The manager takes the bouquet like an excited little girl.
Store Owner: Thank you!
: My pleasure.
(Gyrate: Street)
After bidding farewell to the gallery manager, Arcana and Mona head back to the Union.
: You gave me quite a fright then. I’m rather sad to see that you hold me in such low regard.
: If you want to do something together on our days off, you can just tell me.
: Don’t flatter yourself. I was just.
: Heh, that’s alright! I know what you wanted to ask.
: I’m in the habit of selling my art works to this particular gallery, and I’m on very good terms with the manager.
: She’s had a rather rough time in the last few years, you know, ever since the Miracles arrived… She lost her husband, and her children are currently studying abroad.
: …
: Of course, she hasn’t said anything, but I can tell that she really appreciates my company whenever I drop by.
: And so these days I always make sure to bring a gift to… brighten up her day.
: I see.
: That reminds me, what did you think of my gift?
: Honestly, she seemed totally thrilled with the roses. It was cute.
: Indeed, what lady could refuse such a beautiful bouquet?
: I guess I just never took you for such a kind… philanthropist, like that, if you know what I mean?
: “If you know what I mean”? One needs only a shred of basic decency.
: I would hope that others smile at my presence just as I smile at theirs.