Chloe Lolo's Arc

Chapter 2 of 2

Chloe needed to start somewhere simple. She picked up a piece of clear quartz from her workbench. The stone felt cool in her paw. First, she had to learn how different gems caught the light. She held the quartz against the window. Sunlight split into tiny rainbows inside the crystal. Real amber would glow warm and golden instead. She set down the quartz and grabbed a practice amber piece. The difference was obvious now. Her forgeries would need to match this warmth perfectly, or buyers would know the truth instantly. She needed to see how real experts worked. The OmniEye Security School sat three blocks away, a small brown and green building where her biggest competitor taught surveillance classes. But that wasn't why Chloe cared about the place. The instructor kept a workshop in the back room where he cut and polished his most valuable pieces between classes. She'd heard whispers about his methods. If she could watch through the windows during his evening work sessions, she might spot techniques worth copying. The sun was setting as she walked back to her pawnshop. The new pole light outside her door flickered on as she approached. White light flooded the entrance, bright enough to see every detail. She'd installed it yesterday for late deliveries, but now it showed her something else. Scratches marked the doorframe near the lock. Someone had tried to force their way in while she was gone. Chloe's tail twitched as she checked the lock. Still secure. Inside, her tools and stones sat exactly where she'd left them. The Gemstone Polisher Pro hummed in the corner, finishing its cycle from this morning. Nothing was missing, but the message was clear. Her competitors already knew she was here. They were watching. Good. Let them watch her become better than all of them combined.