To the Tailors!

[Raimeiken]

(( If the 300 Bazaar Credit is still valid, I'd like to use it now. ^^; ))

"Oh, wow~ So this is Ko-ro-Ne!"

The refreshing Spring wind swept down the streets of Radasanth as a pair of strange-looking creatures walked through the crowd, their eyes flashing in awe with the beautiful architecture and vibrant atmostphere around them. It had only been a couple of weeks since the two had landed in Akashima, and it was only because they had received a ride from a farmer along the road that they managed to get to the Capital of Corone many days ahead of schedule. But even on the first day of exploring the city, Konoka already knew what she wanted to get.

Setsuna on the other hand, was at a loss for words.

S- So big... The maid trailed her eyes skyward as they passed under an arch, feeling as if she had shrunk down to the size of an ant. The buildings around her towered over the wandering Kitsuna and further struck a nail into her heart. It reminded her so badly of how insignificant she was back in Akashima... and how powerless she was now.

...I wish I was stronger...

She clenched her fist above her heart, trying to squeeze the pain out in vain. Not only had she failed to defend her hostess' abode, but became a burden with her injuries as well.

If only I was...

"Clothes~!

The auburn Kitsuna's squeal broke the maid's lull and pulled her back to reality, realizing that she was standing in the middle of the road while her master had already rushed off to view some dresses on display. With an ambiguous sigh, to which even she did not know what it meant, the black-hair Kitsuna quietly walked over to her master's side.

No... not stronger. She smiled as the young Kitsuna beamed at an elegant white dress through the store window. I have to be strong for Konoka...

"C'mon, Sets-chan!" Konoka squealed and grabbed her maid's hand. "Let's go get some new clothes!"

N-New clothes?! Setsuna swallowed. But before she could even come up with an explanation, the two girls were already barging into the tailor's with the red foxgirl in the lead.

B-But! We don't even know how much it costs!

"Hi~ Is anyone here~?" Konoka called out to the storekeeper, looking around for the clerk's counter. All the while, the maid pulled out her money pouch and started counting what little they had left...

[Skie and Avery]

Mrs. Sneed had seven children, twenty two grandchildren and one great grandchild. On her sprawling ranch somewhere on the outskirts of Radasanth, over thirty people lived. She was the only one with a job. Needless to say, when it came to making clothes, she knew her stuff. In all her years at the shop, she'd made them for all manner of customers. Bodies in every shape and form had walked out looking respectable, but she had never tailored for a girl with a fox's tail before.

But never let it be said that that would stop her.

"Hello darlings!" she chimed as she grabbed her cane and limped out around the counter. Her eyes seemed to be squeezed tight, wrinkles of mostly laugh lines creasing her sun-kissed skin. For a moment, she reached a claw-like hand up to scratch at the grey hair that was tightly curled into a bun, and then bowed low to her guests. Despite the rheumatism that wracked her body with pain, she still had a smile to give to them.

"How may I be of service?"

[Raimeiken]

((Aiee~ Gomen ne~! Atashi wa ozoinda! >.<))


Uweh-!

Setsuna jumped as she saw the wrinkled old woman appear seemingly out of nowhere, but then quickly chastised herself for even thinking of something as impolite as comparing the shop owner to a bone lady. Quickly throwing that image from her head, the Genko was about to answer when her master jumped in and responded for the both of them.

"Arigato! We were just looking at these lovely clothes you have and we were wondering if you have any dresses we could try on."

Setsuna wanted to run and hide - while the maid had never quite liked shopping for clothes, she knew that it took a tremendous effort on behalf of the artisan to craft such a magnificent garb. It also entailed very high price tags.

And all the while, she wondered if they even have enough to afford a single dress.

"Umm... Perhaps something frilly... with laces and matching stocking..."

Eh-?

Setsuna froze with one hand inside the money pouch. Why would she need a dress with frills and laces? Unless...!

[Arsène]

The old woman was unnerved at first by the chipper way the auburn haired one spoke, but quickly put it out of her mind. Not on purpose, mind you; at her age she tended to forget things rather quickly.

"I have many a wonderful selection for two young girls like you," she said with a wizened grin on her face. Her sunken eyes searched around the shop until they spotted a rather cozy section filled with light pastels and all the colors of spring.

"Check over there, darlings. See which one you like." She paused her a second, putting all her weight on her cane to relax a bit more. "Don't worry about them not fitting. I can always alter them for you." She smiled, wrinkling her face all the more.

[Raimeiken]

"Arigatou, obaasan!"

Before Setsuna could mouth her hesitation towards the idea, the genko was already hauled off to the clothes rack by her chirpy master.

Aiieee-! Ojosama-!

But it was too late.

While the warrior maid stood in awkward silence, she watched her reflection as the young master diligently brought out armloads of dresses and blouses out for fitting. In the midst of Konoka's cheery squeals as she checked the new clothes out on Setsuna, the black-hair foxgirl was at a loss about what to do.

"That's the one!"

Setsuna turned her head to look at her master after a dark-blue dress was pinned against her modest form, her mind still completely blank about what was going on.

"May I borrow your dressing room, [o]obaasan[/i]?" Konoka asked the old lady.

[Arsène]

Mrs. Sneed smiled warmly and nodded her head; more a result of the Parkinson's disease that plagued her central nervous system than an agreement. Still, she saw no problem with the idea of letting the two fox girls use her dressing rooms.

The old woman slid her slippered feet across the floor, raised a shaky hand towards a small wooden door, and unlocked the fitting room. She was fast for someone her age, training in chasing down children all her life had given her that result.

"Head right in."

[Raimeiken]

"Arigatou~! C'mon, Sets-chan!"

"Aiieee!"

Dragging her maid by an arm while holding the dress in her other hand, the Kitsuna flew into the fitting room without heeding the other girl's pleas.

"M- Master Konoka-! I can dress myself, n- no need for you to- Ahhh~!"

The commotion seemed to on forever, the maid's distressed shrieks of embarassment overcoming her master's teasing chides but failed to overpower the latter's determination. But at long last, Konoka stepped back out of the dressing room and dragged the re-faced foxgirl out in front of the mirror.

"See? It looks good on you, Sets-chan."

...!

Opening her eyes, Setsuna did not recognize the girl staring back at her through the mirror. While much of the image reflected remained familiar, the region's strange attire oddly looked well with the Kitsuna's frame. True, it was only a white blouse with frills running down the front and a dark-blue dress that only reached down to her knees... but the clothes just seemed... right.

However, that apron she was wearing also looked oddly familiar...

"You look perfectly kawaii~n in that Radasanthian Maid outfit, Sets-chan!"

Eh? EH?!

"M- Maid's outfit?!" The Kitsuna cried in surprise. So that was why they were stopping here for!

"B-But, Master Konoka! I already hav-"

"Hi, obaasan! How much is this dress set for?"

((OOC: Basically, a dark-blue French Maid dress. Everything from the blouse to the long socks. Um, minus the tiara. See this image for reference. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:French_Maid_Akihabara.jpg Arigatougozaimasu~!))

[Arsène]

"Ah, it looks lovely on you. And it's one of the best I've made." Mrs. Sneed shuffled back behind the counter, her feeble legs hurrying as fast as they would let her move. She quickly hopped onto the tall stool behind the counter, giving her some much needed height. As her claw like hands fiddled beneath the surface, she found the object of her desire. It was a book, bound in black leather and decorated with gold trim. In it she kept base prices and journals on every concoction and creation. It took her only moments after opening the book to scan through the pages and find what she was looking for.

"Here it is!" She chimed with a youthful vigor not often seen. "All together, it should come to around one hundred and fifty pieces of gold."

[Raimeiken]

Wa- one hundred and fifty-?!

Setsuna felt like all colors left her face as well as the colors in her hair. One hundred and fifty gold pieces was a lot, as she estimated from the living standards a typical townsperson in the area use for their daily errands. But then again, the genko had also heard that Coronian clothes are among the best quality in the market. The most expensive as well.

"Ah... Ojousama... perhaps..."

"Done. Arigatou, obaasan!"

"-eh?"

While the genko was still half-shocked by her master's hasty decision, she was already relieved of the money pouch and the price for her new uniform had been paid.

"O- O- Ojousama-! Doushta-"

A finger lighted upon the warrior maid's lips, halting the panicking foxgirl from speaking any further.

"No buts about it, Sets-chan. This is my gift to you."

...eh?

Her ears flickered in the windless store, hopeful thoughts filling her head.

"You've helped me a lot these days and I can't think of much that I can give you in return. So, think of this as the least that I can do for you... for my best friend who has always been by my side."

...Ojousama...

...I already feel fulfilled just serving at your side... I need no other reward...

"...also..."

"?"

Konoka gave her maid a sly wink.

"Don't you just love the dress design? It really helps emphasize your shape, so you should have no problem getting guys to fall head over heels for you! No doubt about it! After all, it really does a good job of Busto appu for you."

-geh?!

"N- n- no! I, I don't know what you mean!"

The maid stammered, her face burning a bright shade of pink.

"Hiding it is no use, Sets-chan~ I can see it ever since our little rest at Doji-sama's home. You were glancing at Ryo-kun the whole time, weren't you?"

"I- iya! I wasn't-!"

The two of them walked out the door, back into the bright day's light and the world. Where more adventures await them in the future...

((Arigatou, Arsene-san!))

[Arsène]

((Raimeiken loses 150 GP, and gains 100 XP for good roleplaying.))