D8, EA- The Cinderella Treatment

[Ide Yamako]

Yamako was....excited couldn't quite capture the sensation. Gleeful? Ebullient? Ready to spend a ludicrous amount of money?

Either way, this was going to be a great day. Yurei was going to get a makeover, Yama was going to have someone else to carry the bags and she'd get to have some fun on this planet.

She waited outside her favorite store, where she'd commed Yurei to meet her, not bouncing because a samurai does not bounce, but merely conveying the thought that if she were a lesser person, she might consider bouncing.

[Yūrei]

Snip

Yūrei as a filthy ronin is permitted to bounce as she jogs up to Yamako and bows respectfully
"Ide-sama! Blessings upon you this day."

She'd been told she was needed to assist Yamako with her shopping and since the Unicorn was (a) very kind and (b) a paying client she'd wasted no time in making her way over. Dressed in her clean but much loved tunic and leggins the ronin feels a little undressed looking over the luxurious shops around them. But that was just part of living in the waves.

[Ide Yamako]

Snip

Yūrei as a filthy ronin is permitted to bounce as she jogs up to Yamako and bows respectfully
"Ide-sama! Blessings upon you this day."

She'd been told she was needed to assist Yamako with her shopping and since the Unicorn was (a) very kind and (b) a paying client she'd wasted no time in making her way over. Dressed in her clean but much loved tunic and leggins the ronin feels a little undressed looking over the luxurious shops around them. But that was just part of living in the waves.

Yamako smiled broadly, with a quick flick of her eyes at Yurei's outfit. Yes, clearly this was the right choice.

"Yurei-san, it is a delight to see you. I hope your day is going well?"

[Yūrei]

Snip

"Yes, actually."
She sounds a little surprised at herself
"I'm feeling well, very well! Lots going on here and there, both professionally and privately."

Yūrei spots a price tag and blinks twice, they must have got some of the 0s mixed up.

"But I'm very happy to be able to assist, these arms can carry unlimited bags! And leave you free to focus on what's most important."

[Ide Yamako]

She clapped her hands together in delight. "Perfect. You'll be an incredible helper today. Now, come this way first, there's something I need an outside eye on."

She led them over to a rack of what Yamako would call formal day dresses. She suspected Yurei would have another way of describing them. Looking at the rack, she pulled one out and held it up to Yurei's skin, looking with a practiced eye before putting it back. "No, too bold. Can't look like an odd parrot."

[Yūrei]

Snip

The expensive formal dresses! Yūrei looks at them with interest, so that was this season's fashion...did her one dress count as old enough to be retro?

"I'm sure it would still complement your features Ide-sama, my skin is not as refined as yours."
She does her best to assist though, holding or posing as necessary .

[Ide Yamako]

She shakes her head. "No no, red tends to make me look blotchy. Cool colors flatter me more. But you've got more of a fiery temperament. This red shows possibilities. Softness and luxury but also a small dose of practicality. Not really fit for some of the work you have to do, but perfect for days when you need to show yourself."

She looked at the surrounding displays. "What we need are accent pieces now. Gold would shine well or perhaps something a bit more for your hair." Her mind is clearly clicking through all the possibilities.

[Yūrei]

snip

Blink blink
"For me Ide-sama? Oh I don't really - I have a clean change of clothes already. I've got everything I need."

Yūrei blushes furiously, rubbing the back of her neck

[Ide Yamako]

She raises an eye at her, every bit the tiny auntie she'll fully become one day.

"From what I saw last night, your one formal gown is...less than able to be utilized at this time." Sliding past that unfortunate moment, she goes into her sales pitch.

"Now, finding you a new formal gown for that sort of thing would take time and frankly needs to be tailored to an event but a good, semi formal every day dress for when you're meeting with high ranking clients, attending an event or possibly other types of meetings cannot be overstated. Even if one does not have....all the means, one must look as though one is doing well. Think of it as a business investment."

[Yūrei]

Snip

"Well I tried to make that myself. It....I'm still working on my craft skills."
She rubs her shoulder where the dress had caught fire.

"I admit that it would be nice to look more presentable. It can sometimes be offputting to look so shabby in an embassy."
Taking a breath
"It's very kind of you to offer this investment. I don't really - it's been years since I bought anything else nice. I'm completely in your hands Ide-sama."

[Ide Yamako]

A glee rushes into Yamako's eyes that even her On can't hide. "You won't regret it. Now, let's get you turned out properly."

Steering them over to a nearby salesperson, Yamako quickly explains their need for a private changing room and an associate to assist with pulling items that will suit her companion. What the salesperson thinks of this is quickly ushered away with a small press of a coin into a hand and a bow. Within minutes, they are ushered into a private space, with a dedicated salesperson and an array of snacks.

"Now, what colors do you enjoy? I can see what colors suit you but its important to know what makes you glow inside."

[Yūrei]

Snip

Yūrei's eyes widen slightly at the sheer glee. Oh no, that's a lot of glee, but she's committed now!
Standing a little self consciously in the private changing room she considers the question.

"White and black always look fine on me. Although white is harder to wash and stands out a little too much."
She unconsciously reaches out and snags a snack, munching it quickly
"And I already have lots of red. It's pretty easy to get on world. But something nice, maybe a dark blue. Would, would that make me glow inside?"

[Ide Yamako]

"I don't know, but let's find out." She speaks to the salesperson, giving them a rapid fire set of suggestions and instructions. Words about cut, fit, style and sheen that spill out like a second language. The salesperson hustles away, clearly sensing a sale.

"She'll bring back something acceptable hopefully and if not, we can try some of the other stores. We'll need to help you find your own particular style. Mine is too focused on court and seeming somewhat...harmless to suit you. You'll need something with a bit of edge."

[Yūrei]

Snip

"I see, I've sorta gone for a...street...style?"
She glances over at Yamako to see if that seemed right.

"And nobody who knows you would say you're harmless Ide-sama, just very well turned out."
Glancing at herself in the mirror
"What does a bit of edge look like? I knew a samurai who had 'damaged' tattooed across his forehead, but nobody took him seriously. Do I need to look a little dangerous, but not too dangerous? Like an exciting level of dangerous?"

[Ide Yamako]

Snip

"I see, I've sorta gone for a...street...style?"
She glances over at Yamako to see if that seemed right.

"And nobody who knows you would say you're harmless Ide-sama, just very well turned out."
Glancing at herself in the mirror
"What does a bit of edge look like? I knew a samurai who had 'damaged' tattooed across his forehead, but nobody took him seriously. Do I need to look a little dangerous, but not too dangerous? Like an exciting level of dangerous?"

She nods. "What we need is a nod to your origins so you're not looking like you're playing above yourself but someone who's learned some of the quiet rules of this game." She smiled at Yurei's comment about her. "Ahh but Yurei-san, that is the point. Looking harmless from a distance sometimes causes those who don't me to underestimate me. It has its benefits and problems."

She ponders the last. "Each of our clothes sends a message about us. So you need to look at the cut, the fabric, the colors."

The salesperson brings some items back. There's a wide variety of styles, colors and looks.

"Do any of these speak to you? Make you feel something when you look at them?"

[Yūrei]

Snip

"Well..."
For a few horrifying moments it's all just a mass of shapes and colours until, hold on, maybe that with that-...and if that was in her size and...yeah okay.

"I think I have an idea Ide-sama. One moment."
She gathers up a few items with a nod to the salesperson and steps behind a screen where there's some loud rustling and shimmying for a few moment and what appears to be a very stubborn sock before she reemerges.

"Ide-sama, what do you think of this?"

Webp.net-resizeimage(5).jpg (151.56 KiB) Viewed 1794 times

[Ide Yamako]

Snip

"Well..."
For a few horrifying moments it's all just a mass of shapes and colours until, hold on, maybe that with that-...and if that was in her size and...yeah okay.

"I think I have an idea Ide-sama. One moment."
She gathers up a few items with a nod to the salesperson and steps behind a screen where there's some loud rustling and shimmying for a few moment and what appears to be a very stubborn sock before she reemerges.

"Ide-sama, what do you think of this?"

Webp.net-resizeimage(5).jpg

She looks at the concept Yurei's made and walks around her in a circle. "Yes..I see what you're saying. I might change the top out but I think you've got an idea."


She pulls out a few other options, one of which is a sleek set of wide pants in black with silky flowing fabric. "Now this could be for fancy everyday wear as well. Not for out doing work but meeting someone for a business meeting. Something that says you're capable but practical. And also, with the right accessories, it can be used for club wear or have a coat added for a more formal meeting. Everywhere you go can be somewhere you see a client and looking right can be the difference between someone assuming you're free game or fresh meat and someone assuming they have to treat you with care. Do you see what I'm saying?

[Yūrei]

Snip

Yūrei nods along, like an attentive student in their professor's class.

"I think so Ide-sama. It's flexible enough to be professional, but also fashionable."
She take pants with a bow and disappears behind the screen for a moment before reappearing in the flowing silk with a grin

"And they have pockets!" She demonstrates with her hands and does a little spin.

[Ide Yamako]

She beams at Yurei. "Precisely. Like an iron fan. Flexible, usable, able to be adorned and still fulfills the needs of the day, so to speak."

She chuckles when Yurei comes out, exclaiming over the pockets. "I may be a diplomat but even I know the value of pockets. Now, if we can find a few blouses or shirts change these out with, that'll be a good start."

She looks at Yurei again with that calculating stare. "I think bold colors for you, no pastels or pale gossamers. Fiery reds, burnt oranges, deep sapphires. That sort of thing."

[Yūrei]

Snip

"Needs of the day, like hitting someone."
This all seems to make a lot of sense to Yūrei as she nods and approaches the table again.

"Bold colours. Well, there's this red blouse here? It even has a dark crimson trim on the sides?" She holds up a blouse the colour of ruby before turning to another one with sunflower designs.

"Or that one? Maybe sunflowers are too... casual? Nobody is intimidated by a sunflower, they're not really edgy."
She continues selecting various pieces and presenting them for Yamako's approval