Fantasy A Witch's Familiar (RIP)

[That Lass Over There]

"Name's Siltoth, though as you can probably insinuate from the bumbling mess that brought you in, call me 'Sil' or whatever makes you sleep well at night. Now then..." Hearing fanciful names like katana or odachi triggered no recognition in those tired emerald eyes, but she did pull out a ripped scrap of parchment from out of nowhere along with a thin chunk of charcoal. "Mind if you get some sort of description going for me so I can picture it out? Overall length and width, weight, "single or double-edged", blade length, blade curvature if there's any, tapering if there's any; I need every last detail so I can check if anything like it's passed by my shop before."

"Nearly all of the blades from my homeland are single-edged; this is true of all three I named." Kuroi wasted no time in describing the weapons to the best of her ability, recalling the shadow of the weapon she could almost feel resting at her hip. "There could be differences based on the school that the smith had learned under, but a katana generally has a gentle curve from tip through to the end of the handle. There is almost no taper to the blade, the tip rounding off at the end into a sharp point." She struggled for a moment to come up with numbers, not wanting to give the smith inaccurate information, but her own weapon definitely landed more in odachi category and had been somewhat irregular at that. It didn't serve for much of a reference, so she ended up digging in her memory for anything that might be left.

"A katana isn't that heavy, even the bulkiest not going over 1.6 kg, most leaning more toward 1.2 kg. The width and length -" Kuroi gestured these, not having been able to dig up numbers. For the width, she showed her right thumb and then used her left thumb and index finger to mark the width, before switching to the length once it seemed like Siltoth had gotten to the idea. "- the length could be anywhere between this and this. Anything longer is an odachi. Regardless of the size, though, the handle was made long enough to support wielding the blade with two hands. As for an odachi, as I mentioned, it's simply a longer katana, and often a bit steeper of a curve. A naginata is a long katana blade fixed to the end of a short staff, much like a spear."

Finishing her explanation, Kuroi awaited the verdict of the smith with not much hope in regards to the existence of her familiar weapons in this place. However, she might be able to interest Siltoth in trying to forge one for her later, so she had done her best to provide accurate details within her limited knowledge. Many of the craftsmen she had met in her life lit with a spark whenever something new or different was brought to their attention, and she could hope that Siltoth was similar.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"Nearly all of the blades from my homeland are single-edged; this is true of all three I named There could be differences based on the school that the smith had learned under, but a katana generally has a gentle curve from tip through to the end of the handle. There is almost no taper to the blade, the tip rounding off at the end into a sharp point..."

"A katana isn't that heavy, even the bulkiest not going over 1.6 kg, most leaning more toward 1.2 kg. The width and length -" Kuroi gestured these, not having been able to dig up numbers. For the width, she showed her right thumb and then used her left thumb and index finger to mark the width, before switching to the length once it seemed like Siltoth had gotten to the idea. "- the length could be anywhere between this and this. Anything longer is an odachi. Regardless of the size, though, the handle was made long enough to support wielding the blade with two hands. As for an odachi, as I mentioned, it's simply a longer katana, and often a bit steeper of a curve. A naginata is a long katana blade fixed to the end of a short staff, much like a spear."

If Xeria was being honest with herself, she was out of her depth standing between Kuroi and Siltoth.

It was to be expected since she was an orphan and a Witch; she had never handled anything sharp besides a utensil, and practitioners of magic were explicitly forbidden by Kingdom law to wield any weapons of any kind. It bothered her just a little bit how Kuroi had spoken more in the last ten seconds than the entirety of yesterday, but the events of the earlier morning were still too fresh to ignore...

---

The harsh scratching noises of charcoal on parchment were as frantic as Siltoth's handwriting was sloppy. The Minotaur was no artist, but she liked to think herself as capable enough at putting words to paper as drawings. Kuroi's descriptors were certainly more insightful than the usual vagueness she had to put up with from typical customers, and bar the measurements that she had no point of reference for, she thought she had a decent idea on what she was being asked for.

"Okay... Here, this is what I've gotten with what you've given me." Sil turned the parchment around so it was showing her depiction to Kuroi, and...

well... it was technically spot on?

Spoiler: *Error 404: no drawing found, have a IRL photo instead*

Technically Sil did get every technical aspect of Kuroi's descriptions into a sword; but to say that it was a katana or an odachi would be further from the truth. It was a single-edged two-handed sword with a gentle curve, but that was about it in terms of similarities to the katana Kuroi had been seeking. The handle was spartan and shaped differently to the tsuka that Kuroi would be more familiar with, and instead of the distinct square or rounded shape of the tsuba, there was a large cross-shaped guard instead. From the drawing alone it seemed that Siltoth had the sword's overall scale near-mirror that of a nodachi...

"I'll admit that I filled in any gaps I found with what I thought made the most sense given the information you supplied. I can forge and put something together like this to be just under my height, but that's gonna be a lot of metal to work with..." Sil didn't even need to turn her head to know that Xeria was sweating at the prospective cost of ordering such a weapon.

"... and if being around this girl for almost a decade's told me anything: I'd probably wind up doing this out of the generosity of my heart."

"Hey! I only asked for a favor once! I enchanted your hammer even as a thank-you!"

"After breaking a dozen perfectly-serviceable swords and melting a full suit of chainmail I had."

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Okay... Here, this is what I've gotten with what you've given me." Sil turned the parchment around so it was showing her depiction to Kuroi, and...

well... it was technically spot on?

Spoiler: *Error 404: no drawing found, have a IRL photo instead*

"I'll admit that I filled in any gaps I found with what I thought made the most sense given the information you supplied. I can forge and put something together like this to be just under my height, but that's gonna be a lot of metal to work with..." Sil didn't even need to turn her head to know that Xeria was sweating at the prospective cost of ordering such a weapon.

As Kuroi looked at the drawing that Siltoth presented, her left heel lifted a little into the air and swung from side to side, her body leaned down to get a closer look, her eyes going over the drawing several times before blankly meeting the smith's. She didn't say anything, though, and after several seconds of silence she looked around, eyes resting on Xeria for a moment before her posture fixed itself and her foot, as well as the rest of her body, stilled. However, SIltoth had already followed up with something that said the smith was in some capacity aware that it wasn't likely to be spot on.

"The hand guard is traditionally a small square or oval, and the handle designed a bit more simplistically with the curve following the rest of the weapon rather than opposing it like that, but... It is really close, I'm surprised." Her hands were holding each other behind her back, her eyes hovering on the picture again, but her flat voice did little to express how impressed she supposedly was. "If that's what you'd be comfortable forging, then I could probably work with it, though I'd need to modify my style a bit."

"... and if being around this girl for almost a decade's told me anything: I'd probably wind up doing this out of the generosity of my heart."

"Hey! I only asked for a favor once! I enchanted your hammer even as a thank-you!"

"After breaking a dozen perfectly-serviceable swords and melting a full suit of chainmail I had."

Every single word said in this short exchange had the cumulative effect of knocking 3 cm off Kuroi's height, her head low on her shoulders. She knew money was a problem, and hadn't necessarily expected to have a suitable weapon any time soon, but it still was being hammered into her - both the lack of a chance she had relying on Xeria to get one right now, and the sloppiness with which her apparent master handles the people around her.

"I'm, really sorry..." Even though she hadn't had anything to do with the incident in question, Kuroi again bowed her head to the small craftswoman.

Looking between the two one more time, Kuroi sighed, before resting her eyes on Xeria for the first time since they woke up that morning. "Well, I meant to ask about this anyway... Xeria, when I asked what you needed me to do as your familiar, you didn't really have an answer, right?" Somehow, Kuroi's eyes looked a bit dead, red light from one of the lamps catching in her eyes. "What if I find some work?"

She turned back around to Siltoth, bowing her head. "Master Si- Siru- Sirutossu?" Her weight shifted from one foot to the other as she realized she couldn't pronounce the girl's name correctly, but with a light shake of her head she moved on. "I won't ask you to perform your craft for free. Could we work out a payment plan? I'm quite confident in my skills, and making enough to pay for the blade should not take long." Her hand again found itself resting on her sash, the rest of her body standing straight as the red light flickered at the edge of her eyes.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"The hand guard is traditionally a small square or oval, and the handle designed a bit more simplistically with the curve following the rest of the weapon rather than opposing it like that, but... It is really close, I'm surprised." Her hands were holding each other behind her back, her eyes hovering on the picture again, but her flat voice did little to express how impressed she supposedly was. "If that's what you'd be comfortable forging, then I could probably work with it, though I'd need to modify my style a bit."

The blacksmith scratched her head as she scribbled on her parchment more, sloppily blotting out and editing her concept as she tried her best to follow Kuroi's direction. "I don't see how a guard being small is supposed to help you with half-swording or crossing blades, but whatever floats your boat. Clearly you know more than I do when it comes to swinging swords."

She turned back around to Siltoth, bowing her head. "Master Si- Siru- Sirutossu?" Her weight shifted from one foot to the other as she realized she couldn't pronounce the girl's name correctly, but with a light shake of her head she moved on. "I won't ask you to perform your craft for free. Could we work out a payment plan? I'm quite confident in my skills, and making enough to pay for the blade should not take long." Her hand again found itself resting on her sash, the rest of her body standing straight as the red light flickered at the edge of her eyes.

"Siltoth. Sil-tith Few get the name right; I've learned to accept it as gospel at this point." The Minotaur said lightly, rolling up the parchment to store away for later use. "And not to be negative, but I only met you today. I'd have to be crazy to just take you for your word and assume you aren't going to disappear the moment I get this thing forged and ground to an edge; the fact that she of all people has to be the one introducing you-"

"Hey!"

"- doesn't help your case." She grumbled, though she didn't hold any hostility towards the increasingly sheepish Witch trying to hide in her hat and coat. "Don't get me wrong, Xeria's a nice girl and ain't malicious in the slightest, but she invites trouble in every sense of the word."

"Oh come on! I'm still here you know!" The puppylike whine coming out of Xeria only added further to her image as an 'inadvertent trouble-magnet.' "I can get those phoenix feathers you always wanted when Valenia comes by Ambition City again! She's always got rare stuff from all around Ballad, so she's bound to have some!"

 

[That Lass Over There]

Half-swording? The term was unfamiliar to her, and she stuffed it in her memory to discover later as she was more concerned with other things at the moment.

"Siltoth. Sil-tith Few get the name right; I've learned to accept it as gospel at this point."

As Xeria and Siltoth bickered in the background, Kuroi spoke the new pronunciation under her breath multiple times in hopes of getting it right. "Siru - Siru... Sirutissu - tissu...?" Unfortunately for her, she was hitting a roadblock that whatever translation was going on wasn't helping her with. In reality, she had been quite lucky that Xeria's name was fully pronounceable with the relatively limited syllables that her language had to work with.

Waiting for a break in the conversation, she admitted, "The second and fourth syllable don't exist in my language I'm afraid. I can't pronounce them no matter how hard I try." Even though the discussion had the potential of getting a proper blade on the line, she came out with something completely unrelated to defending her credibility first. Her left foot busied itself kicking the floor, her gaze wandering to the side for a moment.

Even though she had been fixated on getting the smith's name right, mostly out of a sense of respect, it wasn't like she had been completely ignoring the discussion going on. "The issue is credibility, right?" Kuroi paused for a moment, giving it some thought, before shaking her head. "That would be difficult. Nobody here knows me besides Lady Xeria, and that sounds to not be in my favor."

"... For what it's worth, I don't have anywhere else to go; I'm with Lady Xeria for the foreseeable future. If I really start skimping on payments, you'll know where to find me." Kuroi said so before leaking a small sigh, briefly closing her eyes. "... Well, originally we just came here because I'm an idiot who can't settle down without a blade at my belt. I can fight well enough bare handed so it wouldn't even need to be that good, in spite of my preferences. Maybe we can revisit this when I have enough money of my own to make a down payment, but right now I'm depending on Lady Xeria's generosity... nn?" Her eyelids fluttered a bit as something came to her, and she rapidly turned to face Xeria.

"Am I legally capable of possessing items or currency? That might be bad if someone tries to swindle me on a technicality." Siltoth had yet to state her impression, but everyone Kuroi has known since coming here seemed to have the distinct and immediate idea that she was not human. Tossing the argument of her humanity to the side for a moment, if an employer could argue that they did not have to pay her because she is not legally a person but rather a familiar, that would hurt her ability to earn money. It might also be used to obstruct her purchasing of items.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"Am I legally capable of possessing items or currency? That might be bad if someone tries to swindle me on a technicality." Siltoth had yet to state her impression, but everyone Kuroi has known since coming here seemed to have the distinct and immediate idea that she was not human. Tossing the argument of her humanity to the side for a moment, if an employer could argue that they did not have to pay her because she is not legally a person but rather a familiar, that would hurt her ability to earn money. It might also be used to obstruct her purchasing of items.

If she looked closely, Kuroi could see the proverbial lightbulb flashing behind Xeria's eyes as she suddenly became aware of a few problems that came with having a Homunculus for a summoned familiar; the way her face twisted between pondering and concern before finally settling on general unease. "Well... Considering that a Homunculus like you isn't exactly considered Human, you might be ah..." The nervous twiddling of her fingers was enough hint to what she was about to say next. "You're more akin to a... erm... 'pet?' no, that's degrading. Uh..."

"Maybe 'Retainer' would be more appropriate? Don't see how you're supposed to be a Demi-Human, cuz' you look awfully Human to me, but a Witch or Wizard's companion are an extension of them by technicality. Anything you 'own' is theirs officially." Siltoth's helpful chip-in from the side saved Xeria a few moments of inane fumbling, though-

"Thanks Sil! You always know a wayyyy.... oh."

"'Oh' is right you knob. She's your summon? She can't legally wield anything meant to make things dead because it'd be no different to you doing it yourself."

And just like that, the white-haired Witch deflated as the legality of her's and Kuroi's situation continued to hamper any progress they wanted to make that day. Xeria wasn't going to take it all lying down however, because she immediately went to making things up. But of course, Siltoth had a counterargument prepared for anything Xeria threw out.

"Well... Nnnnnnobody knows that she's my summon! I can just pass her off as a friend or a bodyguard I hired, right?"

"Ignoring the fact that you barely have enough to get a knife, let alone hire a Retainer?"

"Nobody knows that!"

"I thought you said that everyone in the Academy ostracizes you for being an orphan."

"Aaarrrrrgh!" Xeria was very tempted to tug at her white hair, but instead opted for just tugging at her worn out Witch Hat. "You're supposed to be helping me Sil! What happened to being friends since childhood?"

"I'm trying to stay in business by not doing something that'd get me in trouble down the line." Siltoth's answer was in perfect beat to Xeria's whines and growls, showing signs of mild exasperation at the younger of two friends as she turned to the ravenette. "I know you're looking for a sword and all, and you looking nigh-identical to a Human means you probably could get away with carrying one, but I'm concerned about this coming back to bite me. ESPECIALLY since she's' involved."

 

[That Lass Over There]

"I'm trying to stay in business by not doing something that'd get me in trouble down the line." Siltoth's answer was in perfect beat to Xeria's whines and growls, showing signs of mild exasperation at the younger of two friends as she turned to the ravenette. "I know you're looking for a sword and all, and you looking nigh-identical to a Human means you probably could get away with carrying one, but I'm concerned about this coming back to bite me. ESPECIALLY since she's' involved."

Kuroi didn't have any response to the exchange between Xeria and Siltoth, standing still as they had a back and forth with Xeria trying to fight for her getting a blade and the smith refusing to give in. When the conversation turned to her, Kuroi didn't know how to react, but her left hand found its way into the hair at the back of her head. She closed her eyes, but after a moment her eyebrows furrowed as she took back her hand and looked at her nails. Her hands then found their way behind her back, out of view of the other two as she turned her body a bit so that Xeria couldn't see, but whatever she was doing she stopped quickly with the same furrowed brows.

"... It's alright, Master Siru. I understand the need to protect your business. I wouldn't have proposed this if I knew." She was slow to come up with the words, but they did eventually come out. "I don't want to cause you trouble." She shook her sinking head, realizing that this would be impossible at this point - at least she had found out before getting Xeria into legal trouble.

"It bothers me a bit, since Lady Xeria said one of the purposes of a familiar is to be a guardian for a witch that can't hold a weapon, and I have neither fang nor claw. But that is something to inquire about elsewhere." After bowing her head to Siltoth, Kuroi looked to Xeria. "I suppose we'll be going to buy clothing then. Thank you for trying in spite of my insensitive request." She hadn't expected to have Xeria start speaking up in support of the effort to buy a blade, considering everything, but Xeria's efforts had gone beyond just speaking up whenever something was said against herself for this last part. In an effort to show her appreciation, she tried to pull up the corners of her lips in a smile, but it ended up being a nearly imperceptible effort.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"It bothers me a bit, since Lady Xeria said one of the purposes of a familiar is to be a guardian for a witch that can't hold a weapon, and I have neither fang nor claw. But that is something to inquire about elsewhere." After bowing her head to Siltoth, Kuroi looked to Xeria. "I suppose we'll be going to buy clothing then. Thank you for trying in spite of my insensitive request."

"But..." Xeria tried so hard to formulate a counterargument, but the look of resignation on Kuroi's face made it hard for her to convince herself to continue going against the brick wall that was her Minotaur friend. With her being effectively outvoted, all she could do was hang her head in defeat. "I... Okay... Let's go get you some new clothes."

Turning over to Siltoth, Xeria made a pout and puffed up her cheeks with indignance. "You're supposed to be a helpful friend you know!" She huffed, though the beastkin shrugged with indifference and a smidge of pity. "If I gave her a sword, it'd be as good as giving you one, and I can't trust you with anything sharp." The minotaur did soften her tone when her eyes flickered over at Kuroi. "Stop by my place another time once you have the coin in your purse though. The law says you can't carry a weapon, but nothing's been said about armor."

---

The summer sun hung high over the rooftops of the Merchant Quarter, leaving an unpleasant heat emanating from the cobblestone streets of Ambition City. The frenzied rush of daily life had only barely simmered as people tried their best to avoid the midday heat; sweaty workers hurried with their labor while adventurers greedily drunk out of their waterskins. It was in this heat that Xeria and Kuroi found themselves remarkably lost, though part of that was the apparent aimlessness of Xeria's wandering.

"There's plenty of fine seamstresses around the Merchant Quarter, but all of them do fancy impractical things the nobility would wear. Fancy ballgowns, overly-flamboyant doublets, and anything else that make people more like peacocks." It was clear that besides Siltoth's smithy, Xeria never did any business in the Merchant Quarter. Her eyes darted around signboards looking for something familiar, so much so that she hadn't really noticed when she tripped over a wayward mercenary's polearm and tumbled into an undignified heap on the street.

"OW! OW! HOT! HOT STONE! OW!"

And immediately her tights did absolutely nothing to shield her legs from the scorching heat of the stonework, though it did mean she impressively leaped up a few feet into the air as she did a strange dance to fan off the pain in her legs.

 

[That Lass Over There]

"If I gave her a sword, it'd be as good as giving you one, and I can't trust you with anything sharp." The minotaur did soften her tone when her eyes flickered over at Kuroi. "Stop by my place another time once you have the coin in your purse though. The law says you can't carry a weapon, but nothing's been said about armor."

"Thank you, Master Siru. I'll be counting on you when that time comes." Kuroi followed Xeria out of the shop, shutting the door behind them.

---

"There's plenty of fine seamstresses around the Merchant Quarter, but all of them do fancy impractical things the nobility would wear. Fancy ballgowns, overly-flamboyant doublets, and anything else that make people more like peacocks."

Kuroi gave a small nod in agreement, the two interacting somewhat normally again after the visit to the smithy. "I haven't seen anything I could imagine wearing, though everything is unfamiliar." Her eyes raked another display nearby, moving away when even the vague blur her sight afforded her came off as a horridly overdesigned and heavy from the overuse of material. The clothes she had seen up close in other displays were much the same, impractical or lacking a decent fashion sense - often both. It did little to encourage her knowing that a single one of the items displayed would likely empty Xeria's entire savings. She found herself slowly doubting the sanity of the upper class of this society, if these sorts of things were their preference.

Kuroi had been squinting her eyes trying to see a far away display that didn't seem too bad when she heard Xeria fall beside her, and immediately she stiffened and took a wider scan around. By the time Xeria had finished her little tumble, Kuroi had already relaxed, recognizing it as just a case of the fledgling witch being terribly clumsy. At first, Kuroi didn't seem to have any reaction, simply watching Xeria as she went on a roller coaster of cause and effect, but after Xeria had sprouted up with a shout and silly gestures Kuroi offered her hand to the witch with a blank face.

"So that-"

"So that you don't trip again?" Kuroi tilted her head to the side, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to her. Whatever it was, it didn't bother her for long, as she immediately moved on, "Maybe we would be better served by finding good cloth rather than good clothes? Though, some underwear might be nice." Kuroi had accepted the fact that if she wanted something to her foreign tastes, she would have to make it herself. She was intrigued by the underwear design Xeria had accidentally demonstrated yesterday, very unlike anything she had seen or thought of, but that was it.

 

[Aron the Aron]

Kuroi had been squinting her eyes trying to see a far away display that didn't seem too bad when she heard Xeria fall beside her, and immediately she stiffened and took a wider scan around. By the time Xeria had finished her little tumble, Kuroi had already relaxed, recognizing it as just a case of the fledgling witch being terribly clumsy. At first, Kuroi didn't seem to have any reaction, simply watching Xeria as she went on a roller coaster of cause and effect, but after Xeria had sprouted up with a shout and silly gestures Kuroi offered her hand to the witch with a blank face.

"So that you don't trip again?" Kuroi tilted her head to the side, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to her. Whatever it was, it didn't bother her for long, as she immediately moved on, "Maybe we would be better served by finding good cloth rather than good clothes? Though, some underwear might be nice."

Xeria mumbled an incoherent thanks when she took Kuroi's hand, the fine cloth of her spindly gloves feeling unlike any cotton or silk Kuroi could've been familiar with as she pulled herself back onto her feet. Thankfully her long Academy coat proved durable and protective from the elements, its tails coated in a thin layer of dust instead of her thin tights and sundress. Her hat was similarly spared from dirt and dust, though purely by virtue of staying firmly on her head the entire fall.

"Well, we could get some cloth in bulk if we go to the Harbour Quarter. All the raw materials tend to be traded around over there, and maybe we can find a tailor who can put together a few changes of clothes for you." The idea certainly beat combing the Merchant Quarter for a tailor who did anything besides whatever fancies the eccentric nobility had at the time; plus it was far more comfortable being away from the rowdy adventurers and mercs who always seemed to take up entire roads with their bulky arms and armor.

---

The stench of fresh fish and salt water was pervasive as Xeria led Kuroi through a seemingly endless horde of people. In stark contrast to the stuffy Merchant Quarter, the Harbour Quarter was lively and teeming with people from all walks of life and limb. Peddlers hawked their wares to everyone they laid eyes upon, and sailors and labourers worked hard to load and unload their massive wooden ships with every manner of box and barrel carrying who knew what, while fishermen hauled their latest catch from their boats to be sold.

It was certainly a change of pace when Kuroi suddenly found herself looking mundane compared to the occasional person she scraped by. Beastkin just like Siltoth with their distinctive horns, ears, tails, and sometimes wings passed by with nary a glance to Kuroi and her attractive attire, while others appeared more monster than human, yet appeared perfectly civilized in their interactions with the more mundane humans.

"Ooh, ooh! Look at that!" Xeria excitedly pointed to a building near the back of the busy harbour, where a sign of a needle and thread noisily swung on its rusted hinges. "We can find some clothes and underwear inside! Maybe we can even get some extra cloth for you!" She was already pushing and dancing her way through in a beeline for the building, adding to the chaos of the quarter as she pressed on and strode to the door... only to comically walk straight into said door with a thud when it didn't open up at her push.

And thus was the second time Xeria fell to the hot stone streets, and the second time she made some undignified sounds as her tights did little to stem the scorching heat.

 

[That Lass Over There]

Kuroi took a deep breath when they came near the harbor district, the familiar scent of salt on the wind giving her a moment of pause. Until then they had been too far from the sea to smell it mixed with the other scents of the city, but Kuroi's mind wandered a bit as she saw fishing boats and saw stalls selling maritime snacks of all sorts of varieties. Maybe, at the very least, she might be able to find some familiar food, or recreate some dishes, if she spent some time here.

Those sorts of thoughts hovered at the back of her mind as she and Xeria moved hand-in-hand, her gaze catching on many of the odd individuals they passed. She had already intended to ask Xeria about the odd near-human species they had seen on the streets occasionally, but there were so many more of them here, and of greater variety and eccentricity that she could only be shocked when she should have been getting used to the idea that there are youkai like beings treated as people here. Staring just couldn't be helped, though she did try to cut herself off if she noticed herself focusing too much on one individual. Not just these features, but how they were used and accommodated for, everything was very interesting for her to see.

After a while of walking Xeria finally found a store that met their needs, and in a split moment Kuroi found her left hand empty. Confused, she looked at her hand, opening and closing it as Xeria performed an act of her own some distance away for the second time this day. It only took a few quick steps to catch up to the fledgling witch who had already energetically sprung to her feet same as the last time, and when she finally caught up Kuroi opened the door for Xeria, pulling it open with ease. She considered telling Xeria clearly this time that she had already given up on premade clothing before the girl rushed into the store, but before she could think of a polite way to say so the little storm had already gone inside, leaving Kuroi to shut the door behind them.

 

[Aron the Aron]

The melodic jingle of a small bell rang as Kuroi opened the door and herded the excitable Xeria inside, followed quickly by an equally light "Just a second~" from further within when Kuroi closed the door behind her. The tailor's shop both girls stood in was delightedly homely; the warm glow of the lone fireplace blended with the mystical blue hues of the lanternlight scattered throughout the shop. The walls were crowded with scribbled notes and detailed drawings, outdone in its organized chaos by the dizzying mountains of rolled cloth piled high on several tables.

"Hmmmm?" The proprietor wasn't hard to find amidst the dressed-up mannequins and stands, finishing what was an elegantly simple dress upon a dress form. It took the strange lady a few moments to realize that her guests were awkwardly watching her from the entrance of her shop. "Oh! Sorry, I forgot that I had visitors for a moment there." Her voice was as gentle as the droop in her ocean-blue eyes as she scanned the Witch and Foreigner, smiling politely as she raised a hand to brush her hair over her pointed ears. "Ahem. Welcome to my little boutique! I'm Lereli, sole tailor and seamstress! You must be from the Academy outside the city; your hat and coat tell me everything there is to know!"

"Great! We were wondering if we could get a few sets of clothes for Kuroi here!" Xeria wasted no time in nudging her acquaintance forward, right into the now very interested gaze of the tailor. "We were also thinking if we could get some cloth for her to fashion clothes with too if that's no trouble!"

The tailor Lereli was hardly paying Xeria any attention, not that she could be blamed when a foreign looking person wearing clothes never seen before waltzed into her shop. "This robe is unlike anything I've seen, not even close to what comes out of Nocturne. The fine details in the fabric; the harmonious blend of colors... Where on Ballad did you get a robe like this?"

 

[That Lass Over There]

The chime of a small bell had Kuroi looking around after they stepped into the shop, and she quickly found the culprit of the noise hanging above the door attached to a simple contraption - for the nth time in these past two days, she had quickly went tense and relaxed again as she realized the purpose - a sensible one, and now that she thought about it some shops had devised similar mechanisms where she came from. The girl's voice coming from somewhere toward the back of the store confirmed her theory, putting her fully at ease.

After the moment it took to settle down from the startle, she took in the atmosphere and displays of the shop properly, finding herself relaxing even more. It wasn't any more familiar to her than the rest of what she had seen, but she found the feeling that the shop gave to be quite nice. It was certainly disorganized in a way, but she had gotten quite used to this sort of organized chaos from someone over the past few years. The clothes as well, the ones she could see displayed on mannequins were simple and pleasant, still foreign but at least things she would agree to maybe trying on.

"Hmmmm?" The proprietor wasn't hard to find amidst the dressed-up mannequins and stands, finishing what was an elegantly simple dress upon a dress form. It took the strange lady a few moments to realize that her guests were awkwardly watching her from the entrance of her shop. "Oh! Sorry, I forgot that I had visitors for a moment there." Her voice was as gentle as the droop in her ocean-blue eyes as she scanned the Witch and Foreigner.

Her eyes were reaching the back of the store as she caught a blurry sight of the girl who had called out to them earlier, light brown hair tied in a particular fashion, and Kuroi's mouth opened a bit as she stared. "Tsu-?" However, the young-looking shop keeper turned around and walked toward them, revealing unfamiliar blue eyes and pointed ears that she had seen on some people outside. Embarrassed and disappointed, she was glad for the hush of her voice that had leaked out in shock. Even the mannerisms had an uncanny echo of her clearing memories, and she had to restrain herself from burdening the stranger with her wishful fantasies as her nails dug into her palms enough to draw blood.

Tsu couldn't make these clothes. She was hopeless with a needle, that's why her efforts were so important. Kuroi managed to logic herself out of her storming emotions with that thought, returning to a mostly normal headspace. Whoever this person was, they didn't know her, and the same was true the other way around.

The tailor Lereli was hardly paying Xeria any attention, not that she could be blamed when a foreign looking person wearing clothes never seen before waltzed into her shop. "This robe is unlike anything I've seen, not even close to what comes out of Nocturne. The fine details in the fabric; the harmonious blend of colors... Where on Ballad did you get a robe like this?"

Just in time too; the craftsman's curiosity had been piqued, and Kuroi found herself under her scrutinizing gaze - or rather, mostly her kimono. Under the praise of someone who had likely designed and sewn many of the clothes in this shop, if not all of them, many of which Kuroi had been giving second looks, Kuroi's head and gaze lowered to the floor as her spindly hands nervously pulled at the cloth that had earned so much attention. "I made it," She admitted with a small voice, toneless as ever but the volume speaking at least a bit to her feelings. "Based on the original, that a... friend made for me. She said that I reminded her of the night sky. It got ruined beyond repair, and she refused to make it again because she didn't think much of her skills, so I made it myself. With all the small stars of different colors, and choosing where to leave it empty and where to make little 'clouds', it took several months to get to a point where I was happy with it." After a small pause, she added, "Even though she thought so, I still think that hers was a bit better. It carried the meaning and depth of the design across much better than what I managed copying her work."

Again, she was casually talking much more than she ever had to Xeria; however, rather than negotiating and trying to explain something with an objective, Kuroi was rattling on with a faster pace of voice, ever so slightly higher pitch than her usual, shifting on her feet as words kept pouring out of her mouth.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"I made it," She admitted with a small voice, toneless as ever but the volume speaking at least a bit to her feelings. "Based on the original, that a... friend made for me. She said that I reminded her of the night sky. It got ruined beyond repair, and she refused to make it again because she didn't think much of her skills, so I made it myself. With all the small stars of different colors, and choosing where to leave it empty and where to make little 'clouds', it took several months to get to a point where I was happy with it." After a small pause, she added, "Even though she thought so, I still think that hers was a bit better. It carried the meaning and depth of the design across much better than what I managed copying her work."

Lereli's eyes sparkled with intense fascination as she clung onto every one of Kuroi's words, her hands brushing the soft silk kimono with an almost reverent demeanor. "This dress is from a friend... I would love to meet your friend if it wouldn't bother you; it's clear to me that she means a lot to you! And what a fine tailor you must be yourself! The embroidery doesn't disturb the natural weave of this strange cloth, and the sewing is expertly done in a way that the seams between the sleaves and main body are nearly imperceptible!" Inspiration seemed to take a chokehold of the elven seamstress as Xeria was sadly bowled over like she wasn't there. The sputtering and stuttering noises the Witch was making was enough to know her indignance, both at the seamtress for her fanatic interest in Kuroi's attire, and at Kuroi herself for apparently preferring to share details of her past life with a complete stranger over her.

"You wouldn't mind if I took measurements of your 'robe' would you? Actually no! If you'd let me take your robes for a moment I can definitely make exact copies and start sewing together derivatives!"

"H-hey! If you take her... clothes right now, what's she gonna wear!?" Xeria squawked from the side, shaking the dust that had collected when she had been rudely trampled on. "That's her only clothes right now!"

"Well I wouldn't mind if she took this moment to browse what I already have! I can part with some dresses and outfits if it means figuring out this exquisite piece!"

 

[That Lass Over There]

"This dress is from a friend... I would love to meet your friend if it wouldn't bother you; it's clear to me that she means a lot to you! And what a fine tailor you must be yourself! The embroidery doesn't disturb the natural weave of this strange cloth, and the sewing is expertly done in a way that the seams between the sleeves and main body are nearly imperceptible!"

"... Thank you." Kuroi didn't want to sully the praise and inspiration of the tailor with the feelings stirring in her chest, so she quietly fixed her posture and gave a sincere thanks, both on part of herself and her old companion who would never meet her. The praise for her work mostly passed her by, but it was difficult to ignore the recognition Lereli gave to her precious friend.

"You wouldn't mind if I took measurements of your 'robe' would you? Actually no! If you'd let me take your robes for a moment I can definitely make exact copies and start sewing together derivatives!"

"H-hey! If you take her... clothes right now, what's she gonna wear!?" Xeria squawked from the side, shaking the dust that had collected when she had been rudely trampled on. "That's her only clothes right now!"

"Well I wouldn't mind if she took this moment to browse what I already have! I can part with some dresses and outfits if it means figuring out this exquisite piece!"

Kuroi waited for the two to finish their exchange as she settled herself down, shutting away the feelings that had been overwhelming today. "I don't mind; it would make me happy to see the fashion of my homeland being sold here. I could even help, if you ever need a spare hand around the shop - and provided I'm not busy, of course." She easily extended the offer of her help, thinking that this would not be a bad place to work a bit. She certainly didn't hate tailoring, and broadening her skills and knowledge with the local designs sounded like a good idea.

Kuroi looked to Xeria, aware that she had been leaving the fledgling witch behind in the conversation. "Xeria, could you help me pick some clothes out? There are so many that I don't recognize." A little curious what she would pick out, she gave her an opportunity to take center stage while gesturing to the clothes in the store. Just to make sure, before they went crazy, Kuroi looked to Lereli for permission, "Is it alright if we pick out two or three sets?" It sounded like Lereli would be happy to help her acquire more clothes in a style familiar to her, but she knew personally how long clothes took to make - it was important that she had some things to wear in the meantime, and variety never hurt a wardrobe.

 

[Aron the Aron]

Kuroi looked to Xeria, aware that she had been leaving the fledgling witch behind in the conversation. "Xeria, could you help me pick some clothes out? There are so many that I don't recognize." A little curious what she would pick out, she gave her an opportunity to take center stage while gesturing to the clothes in the store. Just to make sure, before they went crazy, Kuroi looked to Lereli for permission, "Is it alright if we pick out two or three sets?" It sounded like Lereli would be happy to help her acquire more clothes in a style familiar to her, but she knew personally how long clothes took to make - it was important that she had some things to wear in the meantime, and variety never hurt a wardrobe.

"Oh I don't mind at all! I've plenty of dresses and skirts that you could take without problem, and you wearing them around Ambition City'd attract the curious to my door!" The elven girl waved off excitedly, standing aside for an equally eager Xeria to butt her head in for her turn in Kuroi's limelight. "Everything's settled then! Come on Kuroi; it's about time you try some of the typical attires of Junoan society!" She said with gusto, once more pulling the Japanese girl by the hand to parts of the tailor's shop previously unknown...

"Be sure to let me know if anything you find needs to be adjusted!"

---

Countless pieces of clothing later...​

---

Despite her "I just got out of bed" appearance, Xeria proved to be quite adept at coordinating articles of clothing to accommodate fashion and comfort without compromising on anything. Experiencing the nuances of Juno's brand of clothing fashion had thrown Kuroi through a loop; bras and panties felt so different from the fundoshi and sarashi she'd've normally worn despite the vague similarities in function (according to Xeria, bras and panties were more of a "commoner's attire" compared to the smocks and chemises of the upper crust). The concept of wearing dresses and skirts that showed off more skin than was usual in Japan left a naked feeling despite the blanchette's reassurances that she was fine, though the alternative of wearing stuffy padded dresses more suited to afternoons in ballrooms was far less appealing to someone who was unused to a life of luxury and comfort.

Once Xeria had put the ravenette through the paces of being a fashion doll, they had quickly settled on something simple for Kuroi's first full set of clothing. A simple black and white dress with a pleated skirt proved simple to wear and maintain, and Xeria was quick to add an arm warmer and thigh-long socks when Kuroi looked uncomfortable with showing off so much bare skin. A pair of rugged shoes that seamlessly blended in with said socks helped sell the whole piece, and Kuroi was pretty much complete.

Spoiler: Though Xeria had yet to explain on insisting that she wear a cloth choker...

"Heeeeeey! Look! I found this to go with everything you have on right now! It should help keep out sun and rain since Ambition City can have some freaky weather."

It was a simple black cloak with barely any decoration except for a simple white trim ringing the hood, and Xeria expertly draped it around Kuroi's shoulders with a flourish that came from putting on capes and oversized coats for a long time. The cloak itself had a strangely comforting weight on her shoulders that provided a sense of security, yet the paradoxically weightless material meant it was impossible to feel encumbered or obstructed. It waved and swished without revealing the woman underneath, and the cloth always seemed just slippery enough to evade being caught on anything (even slipping between Xeria's hands when she tried to grab it for a feel).

Spoiler: It felt... right...

Of course Xeria didn't just stop at one good set of clothing for Kuroi to wear...

Spoiler: Kuroi still needed something that would let her blend in with the Academy; and Xeria quickly found an appropriate blouse-and-skirt ensemble that worked just fine

 

[That Lass Over There]

Despite her "I just got out of bed" appearance, Xeria proved to be quite adept at coordinating articles of clothing to accommodate fashion and comfort without compromising on anything. Experiencing the nuances of Juno's brand of clothing fashion had thrown Kuroi through a loop; bras and panties felt so different from the fundoshi and sarashi she'd've normally worn despite the vague similarities in function (according to Xeria, bras and panties were more of a "commoner's attire" compared to the smocks and chemises of the upper crust). The concept of wearing dresses and skirts that showed off more skin than was usual in Japan left a naked feeling despite the blanchette's reassurances that she was fine, though the alternative of wearing stuffy padded dresses more suited to afternoons in ballrooms was far less appealing to someone who was unused to a life of luxury and comfort.

Kuroi's vision was spinning ever so slightly with the speed at which she had been sent in and out of the changing room, trying on this and that to pass under Xeria's scrutinizing eye. Her kimono had been handed off to Lereli when the first set of clothes had been put on her to try out, the tailor leaving them to examine the exotic design and techniques on her own.

Getting introduced to an entirely new clothing culture was an experience, to say the least; bras took a few tries to put on - Xeria, for some reason, had a bitter look when she got it without help - and certainly didn't feel or look right to her after years of wearing a sarashi. Skirts were difficult to stomach, almost all shorter than the hakama she knew and different enough to throw her off. Pants were new too, and she had seen some women wearing them outside in the streets, but Xeria hadn't picked any out to try - at least not yet. Oddest of all, she was starting to notice, a lot of these outfits seemed to put things around the neck. Xeria explained what ties were rather easily, but when asked about a choker the question was dodged...

Coming in and out of the dressing room with different colors and styles adorning her as Xeria appraised each outfit and handed over the next kept her so busy that she barely had room to think, perhaps a good thing. Even so, she still tried every time she came out with a new outfit for Xeria to evaluate. "Xe-" She'd get interrupted by a wad of clothes in her face. "Xeria..." The fledgling witch would be too engrossed in deciding what to give her next that her quiet voice wouldn't be heard. Eventually, when she came out in the dress they would 'agree' upon in a few minutes, she came straight out and said what she meant to, skipping trying to get the girl's impossible to manage attention.

"I remembered something."

Kuroi's fingers buried in the fluffy skirt that she was getting used to from all the other outfits, she dropped such a bomb in her ever monotone voice, though the pitch was slightly lower.

"A name. Not mine, of my companion."

Whatever Xeria had intended to say on seeing Kuroi come out with the white and black dress, it was lost to silence. As the silence drew out, Xeria seeming to have been knocked off pace, Kuroi wondered why she had chosen to share it. Turning her gaze down and to the side, she held on to one arm with the other, hugging herself as she followed up on her sudden declaration, "Nishihara Tsubasa. In case I forget again..." Her voice trailed off, remembering the difficulties of this morning and that Xeria is still ultimately a stranger, finding it difficult to ask anything of her.

Unable to deal with it any longer, she regretted bringing it up at all while they were doing something else. "So, how do I look?"

---

Even Xeria couldn't mistake the bounce in Kuroi's step as she had the cloak draped around her shoulders, purposefully standing on her tippy toes and dropping back down childishly to feel the fabric falling in the air around her. She did all sorts of strange movements with her arms to check the freedom that it allowed, and nodded when she saw that its length covered the odd bit of skin that peeked out between the short skirt of the dress and the long socks that Xeria had picked out for her. The other set of clothing that had been picked out to fit in with the Academy's environment was folded neatly and hung over an arm, platform shoes held in hand as she got used to the idea of close-toe shoes.

Though there were various things she was uncomfortable with and needed to get used to, Kuroi was mostly happy with the fine craftsmanship of the seams and simple but cute clothing, with one exception... When she had been trying on clothing, at one point unknown to Xeria she had picked up a long strip of cloth to try as a sarashi, but when she came out it was obvious that the chest area of the clothes had been tailored to accommodate a little more, and Xeria found out. Unable to explain herself and her feelings, Kuroi was back in a bra, and clearly bothered by how her breasts would occasionally get in the way. Though, the observer was Xeria, so... How much was actually noticed of her purposeful demonstrations was up in the air.

With their business done, Kuroi refusing to take any more than they had already, it was time to look around for Lereli, who had gone... Somewhere. Likely a back room or something of the sort.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"I remembered something."

Kuroi's fingers buried in the fluffy skirt that she was getting used to from all the other outfits, she dropped such a bomb in her ever monotone voice, though the pitch was slightly lower.

"A name. Not mine, of my companion."

Whatever Xeria had intended to say on seeing Kuroi come out with the white and black dress, it was lost to silence. As the silence drew out, Xeria seeming to have been knocked off pace, Kuroi wondered why she had chosen to share it. Turning her gaze down and to the side, she held on to one arm with the other, hugging herself as she followed up on her sudden declaration, "Nishihara Tsubasa. In case I forget again..." Her voice trailed off, remembering the difficulties of this morning and that Xeria is still ultimately a stranger, finding it difficult to ask anything of her.

Unable to deal with it any longer, she regretted bringing it up at all while they were doing something else. "So, how do I look?"

Not for the first time, Xeria was at a complete loss for words when Kuroi disrupted an otherwise mundane fashion session with her recollection. What could she say when Kuroi suddenly remembered something? How was she even supposed to respond when wasn't close enough to Kuroi to recognize the significance behind each memory remembered? It was certainly in the Witch's interest to learn as much as she could about the young lady she summoned, but this was not how she wanted to learn.

With the mood thoroughly broken and replaced with awkward silence, Xeria mustered a reluctant thumb up of approval (though to be fair it was Xeria who decided the outfit).

Nishihara Tsubasa... The name sounded exotic and foreign like Kuroi, and rolling the name around in her head failed to straighten out how it was supposed to be pronounced. Xeria would have to keep the name in mind when Kuroi rediscovered more memories...

When she had been trying on clothing, at one point unknown to Xeria she had picked up a long strip of cloth to try as a sarashi, but when she came out it was obvious that the chest area of the clothes had been tailored to accommodate a little more, and Xeria found out. Unable to explain herself and her feelings, Kuroi was back in a bra, and clearly bothered by how her breasts would occasionally get in the way. Though, the observer was Xeria, so... How much was actually noticed of her purposeful demonstrations was up in the air.

With their business done, Kuroi refusing to take any more than they had already, it was time to look around for Lereli, who had gone... Somewhere. Likely a back room or something of the sort.

Xeria would never admit that to being jealous on how shapely Kuroi turned out to be when she slipped into her new dress and cloak. The Witch was arguably the prettier of the two by Junoan tastes, but Kuroi had an elegance and refinement to her posture and figure that she couldn't replicate for the life of her. She didn't understand the Japanese girl's preference for tightly binding her chest, though that might just have been Xeria not yet experiencing the pitfalls of having a sizeable bust.

Xeria herself hadn't gone emptyhanded during their little clothing tryout; several dresses and smocks hung around her arms alongside several more pairs of undergarments -Kuroi was likely to be disturbed once she found all the different ribbons and scarves hidden between the layers- that she planned to give to Kuroi when they got back to her room in the Academy.

"Oh! There you two are!"

And just as Kuroi was wondering where Lereli was, the brunette Elf suddenly appeared from around a large pile of unfinished cloth. "I hope you two weren't waiting too long! Your robes were extremely fascinating for me to look and study; it's so lightweight, but the make is as fine as a ballroom gown from the Royal Quarter."

Neatly folded in her hands, Lereli presented Kuroi's black kimono back to its original owner. Curiously, the kimono smelled of fresh cinnamon, and the cloth looked vibrant and refreshed. Had the tailor cleaned her kimono while she had borrowed it?

"Thank you so much for letting me see this; I had an old set of robes and tailored it into something similar, so... here! This is my way of saying thanks!"

Spoiler: Before Kuroi could think of responding, the Elven tailor presented a gift.

Had Kuroi not known, she likely could've been convinced that she had been given a short-cut Yukata as a gift. The cotton yukata was plain save for the light floral pattern, with wide and breezy sleeves and a heavy sash that neither bothered or obstructed. Despite only having Kuroi's kimono as a first reference, Lereli had accomplished an impressive recreation of Japanese apparel. Perhaps it was a testament to her talent...

 

[That Lass Over There]

Xeria herself hadn't gone emptyhanded during their little clothing tryout; several dresses and smocks hung around her arms alongside several more pairs of undergarments -Kuroi was likely to be disturbed once she found all the different ribbons and scarves hidden between the layers- that she planned to give to Kuroi when they got back to her room in the Academy.

For a simple examination of a piece of clothing, Kuroi had already been finding it difficult to accept the two sets of clothing that had been picked out for her; though she understood that they had been given permission, she couldn't help but stare at the sizeable collection of clothes that Xeria had picked up. She found it difficult to confront Xeria about it though, so she just reluctantly let it be.

"Oh! There you two are!"

And just as Kuroi was wondering where Lereli was, the brunette Elf suddenly appeared from around a large pile of unfinished cloth. "I hope you two weren't waiting too long! Your robes were extremely fascinating for me to look and study; it's so lightweight, but the make is as fine as a ballroom gown from the Royal Quarter."

Neatly folded in her hands, Lereli presented Kuroi's black kimono back to its original owner. Curiously, the kimono smelled of fresh cinnamon, and the cloth looked vibrant and refreshed. Had the tailor cleaned her kimono while she had borrowed it?

"Thank you so much for letting me see this; I had an old set of robes and tailored it into something similar, so... here! This is my way of saying thanks!"

Spoiler: Before Kuroi could think of responding, the Elven tailor presented a gift.

Had Kuroi not known, she likely could've been convinced that she had been given a short-cut Yukata as a gift. The cotton yukata was plain save for the light floral pattern, with wide and breezy sleeves and a heavy sash that neither bothered or obstructed. Despite only having Kuroi's kimono as a first reference, Lereli had accomplished an impressive recreation of Japanese apparel. Perhaps it was a testament to her talent...

Kuroi accepted her kimono back gratefully, appreciating the care and respect that had been given to it. So as to not put to waste the work of the tailor in freshening it up, she held it carefully in both hands, but was surprised when a pinkish white yukata was laid on top, a few flowers patterning the otherwise plain fabric. Kuroi looked over the gift carefully before shaking her head with a sigh, "I would say that we're already receiving too much, but it seems you learned more than expected." Freeing one of her hands, she touched the yukata and nodded, "It's very beautiful, thank you." While she was considering the unexpected gift, her eyes turned over to Xeria, lingering for a moment before she returned to Lereli. With a tilt of her head to the side, she thought to ask one final thing. "If you would like, I don't have any examples, but there are many other pieces of clothing and traditional patterns from my home that I could come by and share every now and again. It is nice to have someone I can share with."

 

[Aron the Aron]

Kuroi accepted her kimono back gratefully, appreciating the care and respect that had been given to it. So as to not put to waste the work of the tailor in freshening it up, she held it carefully in both hands, but was surprised when a pinkish white yukata was laid on top, a few flowers patterning the otherwise plain fabric. Kuroi looked over the gift carefully before shaking her head with a sigh, "I would say that we're already receiving too much, but it seems you learned more than expected." Freeing one of her hands, she touched the yukata and nodded, "It's very beautiful, thank you." While she was considering the unexpected gift, her eyes turned over to Xeria, lingering for a moment before she returned to Lereli. With a tilt of her head to the side, she thought to ask one final thing. "If you would like, I don't have any examples, but there are many other pieces of clothing and traditional patterns from my home that I could come by and share every now and again. It is nice to have someone I can share with."

"Really!? You'd do that!?" Sparkles of excitement danced in the Elf's eyes, but before she could do anything, a miffed white-haired Witch had grabbed Kuroi by the wrist and began dragging her out the door. The myriad collection of extra clothes she had picked out for Kuroi were either hanging over her shoulders or clumsily stuffed into her coat's many hidden pockets, leaving for quite the comic scene of a lumpy, ruffled Xeria with dresses, scarves, and ribbons barely hanging from every opening as she kicked open the door... okay she needed a few kicks, but once it was open...

"Thanks for everything, but we still need to walk back to the Academy! Come on Kuroi; we still gotta get back, and the afternoon rush is already in full swing!"

"H-huh? Wait! What abou-" The slamming of her wooden door was the answer Lereli got out of her most recent clientelle, leaving her alone in her little shop.

"Aw... I didn't even properly get their names..."

---

The Kingdom of Juno - Ambition City
Second day of Serpent, 493 NE
​

---

Xeria couldn't quite tell if her lips were set in a scowl or a pout, nor could she make heads or tails of why the seemingly quiet and stoic Kuroi was suddenly all chummy and talkative with a random stranger. She missed the familiarity in Kuroi's eye, and the small fragment of her past that she remembered struck her as odd since it seemingly came from nowhere. Certainly, it couldn't have possibly stemmed from some vague attraction to that tailor, right? "Love at first sight" was a preposterous concept to a talented and capable Witch like Xeria!

Perhaps it was a good time to mention how the diminutive Xeria wasn't paying attention to how she was easily bowling her way through the suffocating rush of the city's crowds. Who knew that stewing with jealous thoughts allowed one to become an implacable object?

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Really!? You'd do that!?" Sparkles of excitement danced in the Elf's eyes, but before she could do anything, a miffed white-haired Witch had grabbed Kuroi by the wrist and began dragging her out the door. The myriad collection of extra clothes she had picked out for Kuroi were either hanging over her shoulders or clumsily stuffed into her coat's many hidden pockets, leaving for quite the comic scene of a lumpy, ruffled Xeria with dresses, scarves, and ribbons barely hanging from every opening as she kicked open the door... okay she needed a few kicks, but once it was open...

"Thanks for everything, but we still need to walk back to the Academy! Come on Kuroi; we still gotta get back, and the afternoon rush is already in full swing!"

"H-huh? Wait! What abou-"

Kuroi nodded in response to Lereli's question, only to look around at the feeling of Xeria tugging on her wrist toward the door. With a tilt of her head, she followed along, accompanying Xeria without question. On their way out the door she looked back to Lereli, and with her hands occupied with one witch in training and a bundle of clothes she bowed her body on the way out as an attempt at a goodbye before Xeria slammed the door shut. That earned a glance from Kuroi, but the storm was already on her way with Kuroi in tow, and Kuroi knew better than to ask questions.

She definitely adapted well to being pulled along, easily falling in line just behind Xeria as they went through the streets, two bundles of clothing with people attached to them. Kuroi was exceedingly careful as she followed Xeria with her kimono in her hands, not having had time to switch from the dress and cloak back to her familiar clothes - dropping it after Lereli had bothered to clean it would have been a sad event.

As they rushed through the streets the cloak trailed in their wake, Kuroi tugging on it now and again as it got caught on something or someone in the crowd. The feeling of the cloth around her shoulders struggling to keep up was fun, but she couldn't help but get annoyed at the tiny little inconveniences popping up with so many people in a space. A fact she was desperately trying to ignore, as she felt gazes on herself with the new clothing that fit her form in a much different way. Instead, she focused all her attention on Xeria, and the oddities of no longer having to adapt to platform shoes - something that theoretically should have made walking easier, but was ever so slightly different from being barefoot that she still needed to pay some attention. And that attention irritated her as it made her notice all the little things.

Up till now, she had kept quiet, knowing that asking would probably not do any good, but she didn't like the silence when they had finally started talking to each other so she let her thoughts slip out a bit. "I hope you don't expect me to walk in these eve-" In an instant, Xeria was pulled back and held tightly, as someone ran out of a store in front of them. The door came an inch within the witch's nose, knocking her hat off as its brim was squished by the near-impact. Kuroi let go a second after people started making a ruckus, a light sigh escaping her lips. "Maybe I should walk in front?" Though she preferred to keep Xeria in her sights, the record amount of trouble this fledgling seems to get into inevitably made Kuroi think so.

 

[Aron the Aron]

"I hope you don't expect me to walk in these eve-" In an instant, Xeria was pulled back and held tightly, as someone ran out of a store in front of them. The door came an inch within the witch's nose, knocking her hat off as its brim was squished by the near-impact.

The sudden absence of her beloved hat and the feeling of the sun beating down on her head were pretty much the only things that yanked Xeria out of her thoughts, and the first thing she was greeted with was a wooden door she could feel her breath bounce back from. "What? How did...?" She blubbered as she shuffled away from the door that nearly bruised her nose, her hands up on top of her head as she looked around for her signature headpiece.

Kuroi let go a second after people started making a ruckus, a light sigh escaping her lips. "Maybe I should walk in front?" Though she preferred to keep Xeria in her sights, the record amount of trouble this fledgling seems to get into inevitably made Kuroi think so.

"Huh- oh... uh, sure. Maybe you should be in front for now..." There was a lack of real attention in Xeria's voice as she twisted around and snatched up her hat and shook off the dust that had gathered on its otherwise fine pelt material. Thankfully none of the dust had gotten on the assortment of clothes she had tucked away under her coat, but it was only a matter of time until it would all get dirty (not that such matters were on her mind at the time).

"Well, let's not waste more time then; we should go back to the Academy before we get stuck in the city."

 

[That Lass Over There]

"Huh- oh... uh, sure. Maybe you should be in front for now..." There was a lack of real attention in Xeria's voice as she twisted around and snatched up her hat and shook off the dust that had gathered on its otherwise fine pelt material. Thankfully none of the dust had gotten on the assortment of clothes she had tucked away under her coat, but it was only a matter of time until it would all get dirty (not that such matters were on her mind at the time).

"Well, let's not waste more time then; we should go back to the Academy before we get stuck in the city."

With acknowledgement received, Kuroi took Xeria's hand again and walked in front, keeping a calmer pace than Xeria had. For the most part, she seemed to remember the path back exceptionally well, though she did occasionally stop to ask Xeria which path they should take and double check that she knew where they were. Before long, they were back in the markets they had passed through earlier that day, and then the stone dominated streets of the Academy among Xeria's fellow pointed hats.

Once they were in academy grounds, it didn't take long to end up inside Xeria's dorm room, Kuroi carefully folding the clothes she wasn't wearing on the bed as they unwound from the shopping trip. Though she hadn't let herself linger on it, the memory of Siltoth's refusal to forge her a blade and confirmation that doing so would be illegal spurred a sigh from her as she touched the silk of her kimono. Not wanting to think of it any longer, she pointed to under Xeria's coat where the wealth of outfits the apprentice witch had taken hid. "Shall I?" She held up the folded kimono to make clear what she was asking, having an inkling that Xeria likely wasn't the best - or at least the most enthused - about menial housekeeping tasks like this.

 

[Aron the Aron]

With acknowledgement received, Kuroi took Xeria's hand again and walked in front, keeping a calmer pace than Xeria had. For the most part, she seemed to remember the path back exceptionally well, though she did occasionally stop to ask Xeria which path they should take and double check that she knew where they were. Before long, they were back in the markets they had passed through earlier that day, and then the stone dominated streets of the Academy among Xeria's fellow pointed hats.

Once they were in academy grounds, it didn't take long to end up inside Xeria's dorm room, Kuroi carefully folding the clothes she wasn't wearing on the bed as they unwound from the shopping trip. Though she hadn't let herself linger on it, the memory of Siltoth's refusal to forge her a blade and confirmation that doing so would be illegal spurred a sigh from her as she touched the silk of her kimono. Not wanting to think of it any longer, she pointed to under Xeria's coat where the wealth of outfits the apprentice witch had taken hid. "Shall I?" She held up the folded kimono to make clear what she was asking, having an inkling that Xeria likely wasn't the best - or at least the most enthused - about menial housekeeping tasks like this.

With her shoes once again tossed off to some dark shadow of the room, Xeria awkwardly pulled out dresses, skirts, and every manner of ribbon and scarf that she had hidden away under her voluminous coat. By some miracle her inattentiveness hadn't wrinkled Kuroi's wardrobe much, though the sheer absurdity of how much she was carrying made itself more and more apparent when they started piling high on her bed. Xeria had completely underestimated just how much she had grabbed in her glee to give Kuroi something to wear besides her dark kimono, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the Witch was nonplussed about the issue.

"It's alright; I don't have much clothes of my own so the drawers are mostly empty. We'll put everything that's yours there." And it turned out that Xeria was not exaggerating when she said that she had little; only a few dresses that didn't look worn in some time, and the obligatory sets of undergarments that every lady needed. It was only enough to maybe fill a fraction of one drawer, which was different to the way-too-much clothes Kuroi had gotten in one afternoon shopping spree.

Xeria probably needed the clothes more than Kuroi did... Not that Xeria would accept them.

 

[That Lass Over There]

With her shoes once again tossed off to some dark shadow of the room, Xeria awkwardly pulled out dresses, skirts, and every manner of ribbon and scarf that she had hidden away under her voluminous coat. By some miracle her inattentiveness hadn't wrinkled Kuroi's wardrobe much, though the sheer absurdity of how much she was carrying made itself more and more apparent when they started piling high on her bed. Xeria had completely underestimated just how much she had grabbed in her glee to give Kuroi something to wear besides her dark kimono, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the Witch was nonplussed about the issue.

"It's alright; I don't have much clothes of my own so the drawers are mostly empty. We'll put everything that's yours there." And it turned out that Xeria was not exaggerating when she said that she had little; only a few dresses that didn't look worn in some time, and the obligatory sets of undergarments that every lady needed. It was only enough to maybe fill a fraction of one drawer, which was different to the way-too-much clothes Kuroi had gotten in one afternoon shopping spree.

Xeria probably needed the clothes more than Kuroi did... Not that Xeria would accept them.

A light puff of air, too exhausted to even call a sigh, escaped Kuroi as she saw again the sheer amount of fabric that Xeria had plundered from Lereli's shop. She pushed the clothes she had already folded to the side, taking on the task of neatly folding those Xeria had taken into mostly uniform shapes. "Will that still be the case after all of this?" Kuroi couldn't help but remark on Xeria's comment of not having many clothes, a statement that surely didn't have much ground after adding all this to the witches' wardrobe.

Realizing that she was going to need more space on the bed to do her work, she started moving some of the clothes Xeria had brought into the drawers. First, she moved all of Xeria's items that had already been in there to the top two drawers; undergarments in the top drawer, and outerwear in the drawer below. Then, she started moving her own three folded sets to the bottom drawer, along with a spare pair of underwear - and, sneakily, a wound up strip of cloth she had smuggled out under her new black cloak. That done, she started placing the clothes Xeria had picked out in with the rest of Xeria's clothes, still uninformed of the witch's scheme. "I feel like I owe Lereli some help in her store after all this... There's no way this was a fair exchange, all these clothes seem to have a lot of care put in them." Shaking her head, she put the dress shirt in her hands into the drawer that was quickly filling up.