2018-10-03 - A Royal Pauper and The Queen's Elegance
| Title: A Royal Pauper and The Queen's Elegance | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Setsuna challenges Kasagami to make wise use of their [Test Your Love] prize money. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Harajuku Trendy District | |
| OOC - IC Date: Weds Oct 3, 2018 - | |
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Meioh [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
Once they're offstage, Setsuna captures Kasagami's hand and leads her to a spot tucked between two vendor trucks selling heart-shaped donuts and heart-topped hats, respectively. When she turns to her girlfriend there's a glowing warmth to her. She reaches up to brush her thumb across the tip of Kassie's nose, then along her cheek. It's hard to tell whether Setsuna leaves a trail of glitter on Kasagami's face or that cheek transfers more to Setsuna's thumb; they're both very pink-spangled.
"Catching cold, Kasa-chan? Or maybe it's just that someone was talking about you..." The senshi doesn't seem at all put out over their runner-up status. She reaches into the pocket of her floral coat and pulls out a bill and some coins to present their prize palm-up: 1700 yen. There's a sparkle in garnet eyes.
"Kasagami Araki, I challenge you..."
A pause. There's no signet ring on her finger, just in case the other girl checks in the moment.
"...to a shopping trip! Can you clothe yourself with just our winnings?"
It's the perfect opportunity to launch a plan she's been developing ever since her love's loss of duel, status, and funds -- with an assist from Etsuko, who unlike Setsuna has, oh, /any experience at all/ living within a budget. Her challenge is issued; if Kasagami accepts, their arena awaits.
-=-=-=-
Harajuku: home to all the craziest fashion and coolest vintage Tokyo has to offer. Culture! Creperies! Wall-to-wall people in their public best! It is impossible not to share the remnants of their pink glitter with the crowd at large, rubbing shoulders and elbows in a sea of youth in ruffled goth skirts and spiked leather belts and hair dyed every color of the rainbow, sometimes all at once. Setsuna takes them past high end stores whose broad windows display the very sorts of brand new, designer stuff Kasagami has grown used to filling her closets with.
She takes them to Kinji.
https://www.instagram.com/kinjiharajucrew/
It's just a little off the main thoroughfare, and it's the size of a warehouse -- multiple huge floors which are home to racks upon racks upon /racks/ of last season's best, worst, and strangest. They have high end stuff too, vintage leather and cocktail dresses that would bust their budget a few times over, all lining the walls and the front display racks. But the majority? The majority is well-cared for, second-hand clothing, and the store bustles with money-tight kids who still want to look like they belong to that fierce crowd outside.
Shirts for 450 yen! Skirts for 900! Denim and sequined cotton and graphic print tees, clothes for winter and fall and spring and summer (of last year), it's all here, and it's all affordable. It has also all been worn by someone else, once upon a time. Putting together an outfit for 1700 yen is achievable at these prices, but it /will/ be a challenge, as promised, to both budget and pride.
"Where shall we begin? If you find one good piece you like, we could build something around that... But it's up to you what sort of thing you want." Setsuna runs slender fingers along the shoulders of a rack of shirts, then she takes up the cheery print of a summer dress in her hand with a look in her love's direction. As usual, her eyes linger. "I do love that skirt on you."
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Kassie is still somewhere between steamed and elated as she's taken offstage, and presentedby her love with the most dire of challenges! The young woman stands up a little taller, her eyes sparkle, and then she takes the funds that they've won. She stares at them for a moment before sucking in a breath.
"Setsuna Meioh...your challenge is accepted! As though Ohtori's Kendo Club Captain can't budget!" She has /no/ idea how to budged, for the record.
~To Kinji!~
The Duelist looks very, very lost as she stares amongst the various racks! She can't /quite/ keep the lingering contempt out of her features. The stigma of used is stronger in one that had gotten used to the taste of wealth. Still, a challenge from Setsuna isn't one she's going to turn down!
The compliment seems to get her in motion though, and she smiles and takes a twirl! "Maybe I should wear them more often. For you and friends I mean. My feminine side isn't for the Ohtori student body." She has a reputation, such as it is, to maintain.
Pause. That seems to give her an idea, and she's immediately over to a rack of dresses, beginning to pick through them! "I want something...out of the ordinary. If we're going to push my limits, then we need to dream big!"
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Meioh [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
Setsuna Meioh remembers the first time she saw Kasagami Araki twirl, under a tree in a clearing once upon a winter ago. She smiles again to see it now, with her now-girlfriend in such different attire. "You definitely should, as long as you don't mind how it inspires me to sweep you off your boots. Pity Ohtori for the shining facets of Kassie they'll never know like we do."
The senshi follows where swordswoman leads, over to a tall rack of dresses. When 'push my limits' comes out of the other's mouth, she gets a thoughtful look on her face.
There's quite the assortment here! Last season was all about grommets and other metal accents, it seems, and such is a common motif on the racks. Some of the dresses in Kasagami's size are standouts.
There's a long purple sheath dress with an artfully-arranged overabundance of zippers, and it's hard to tell which are actually involved in getting it on and off; your classic little black dress with a circular grommet-lined mid-thigh hem and matching detailing on the cap sleeves; a bronze shimmery cocktail dress with chains for straps; and a dark red trenchcoat-dress with pyramid studs capping the sleeves and detailing the collar.
Setsuna discreetly checks the tags if Kassie doesn't, and otherwise watches with interest and that lingering smile that proximity to her love always seems to inspire. "Do you want to try any of them on...?" There's an unusual lilt to her low voice: eagerness.
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Kassie lets out a sigh that's only half teasing as Setsuna threatens her with such wonderful adoration! A small blush to her cheek, and she's grinning. "Are you intending to treat me like a Queen, then? It really isn't my style..."
A hand reaches, and brushes against Setsuna's hair affectionately. "But maybe I'll make an exception for the girl always ready to catch me when I'm at my lowest." Her voice is sweet, and she ends with a playful wink.
Her game face is on though! She's instantly over to those metal-lined dresses, particularly finding herself drawn to the black dress as well as the trenchcoat dress. Kassie looks around, and when she thinks non-Pluto's aren't looking...actually looks at the price tag! Definitely embarrassed though.
Then she's holding up both one at a time against her self.
"Hmmm. What do you think? Definitely, let's find a fitting room!" That eagerness has Kasagami's heart fluttering! She's going for one of Setsuna's arms!
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Meioh [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
"Always ready, and always honored to be by your side." A tilt of her head brings the warmth of her forehead to those brushing fingers. Then a matching spiritedness: "How sad, if a King could not allow herself to enjoy such romantic gestures... I do believe she would be cheating herself."
The LBD is 1150 yen, and as they look at the tag together Setsuna says, "Something about all this metal is very you. With 550 yen you could probably get a fancy belt for it, and I don't think that would be a bad idea really. Or a hat, or even a purse..."
When she leans into Kassie's shoulder to read the tag on the trenchcoat dress Setsuna allows a wince to show. 1850 yen. There's a short silence from her, and then she says, "Well, perhaps that one was not meant to be. I'd love to see you in it, though."
There's really nothing saying Kasagami can't take both into the fitting room, it just depends on how she feels about test driving cars she now cannot afford to purchase. Whatever her date chooses to bring, Setsuna's arm is more than ready, and she leads them over to the fitting rooms with garnet eyes alight.
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Kasagami, in turn, lifts her chin a little bit and stands as proudly as she can. "Then when we're done shopping, you'll just have to remind me how good it truly is to be King!"
Setsuna shows off her quick math, and it has Kassie staring at that beautiful trenchcoat dress with longing! Closing her eyes, she slowly puts it back. It's given one final pat.
"This is temporary. An Araki can weather even this storm of being in the red!" She consoles herself. Hmmm. "A hat. Definitely a hat! First..."
To the fitting room! She reluctantly steps away from her love's arm, only to step in. A pause, and her head pokes out. "Remember, turnabout is fair play. That goes double for peeking." Smirk. The curtain closes and there's rustling!
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Meioh [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
"Wiiill I now..." Setsuna drawls her response to Kasagami's after-shopping plans, just a touch. On their way over to the fitting rooms and away from the re-racked trenchcoat she says, "You can weather any storm. Besides, you're so good in red... Though I don't mind getting you into the black, here."
She reaches over to test the fabric of the dress Kasagami carries. "Cotton knit, not bad for that price. It's made to last, and it's soft except for those flashier metal bits." A beat. "Now who do I know like that..." And so the sparkle in Setsuna's eyes grows as she's 'warned' about peeking, even if her cheeks warm, too.
Only her voice comes through the curtain. "What sort of person do you think you're dating, Kasagami Araki? We're in public, after all."
The black dress is as soft as Setsuna named it, stretchy enough to be stepped into without any zippers and to be mostly form-fitting once it's pulled up into place.The sleeves and hem each have flare to them, and with the latter's grommet edging that gives the skirt a swingy sort of weight.
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Twitch! Goes Kasagami's brow! Arms cross! She tilts her head up high like any Ohtori girl can produce, even those suddenly impoverished. A smug smirk. "...Horrible puns are unbecoming and make me want to tickle your beautiful tummy to death! Don't underestimate the resolve of an Ohtori Pauper King!" Point! Pause. Pooooke right in the tummy!
She could totally go for the black though. Never before would Kassie think she'd have dreams where her books were on the up and up, but here we are.
"I have no idea at all who you may be talking about!" This...this is the pride of a King! Nevermind that she's blushing hard and even /smiling/ before she's into the changing room!
There's a long pause as Setsuna lets out her indignatious retort! Full of decorum and propriety! The chuckle is devious as heck and one can almost hear the sparkle to her eye!
"You're a true and proper ruler, Setsuna Meioh! ...It makes me want to drag you in here, you sweet, blooming rose of dark emerald!" There's a slight growl to her voice. A promise for later, perhaps.
And then she all but /skips/ out as she's changed, doing a faux ballet dancer's spin, only to dip into a proper curtsey which metal-covered and flared hem only accentuates! Really, the weight of metal grommets only adds to her overly dramatic twirls and ending, grinning like a demon.
"Well?" Wink!
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Meioh [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
Setsuna is all poise and elegance until that tummy poke, and then she's round garnet eyes above a squirming sideways reaction! She bumps into the bunch of summery tank tops beside her and the plastic hangers clatter like the dickens, and then the senshi must resist the urge to duck her height below rack-height so as to disappear.
A few patrons nearby look their way -- hard not to after all that noise. The last thing Kasagami might see before she disappears behind that curtain is a Look.
And when she emerges after that comment, it's to an even darker-cheeked (though smiling) Setsuna. Then Kasagami gets to watch her face change.
That understated smile of hers drops open to become a perfect little 'o'. This time, the widening of her eyes bespeaks a certain stunned wonder rather than playful outrage. Setsuna blinks, a series of flutters. It takes her a moment.
"When you twirl like that it takes the breath... right out of me." Indeed her smooth voice is a little breathless. Then she smiles, and there's nothing understated about it. "You look amazing, Kassie." Simple, truthful. She reaches for her love's hand and bows over it, giving the back of her fingers a brush of her lips. She'd meant to suggest checking out the hats next, but the thought has flown from her mind altogether in the moment.
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
The Look collides! And is met with an 'innocent' whistle! She may well be sleeping on the couch, but that brief flash of a smile may well be worth it!
Kasagami's head falls low for a brief moment. Setsuna thinks she looks amazing. Looks /beautiful/! That stunned wonder has the Duelist, so very often clinging to the stereotype of a tomboy, draw a breath she didn't know she was waiting for. Kasagami steps back, and then Setsuna is bowing.
"What are you talking about? I mean, just because I can wear this...aren't I still..."
Scarred. Flawed. Lacking in feminine beauty while still flirting with it. Having a masculine one, while never feeling her physical prowess is enough, and wanting to indulge in the gentler, softer side of body and presentation?
Lips brush the back of her hand. And she can't hold back any longer.
Two arms try to wrap upon Setsuna and pull her in, hard and close. "I want to be strong and beautiful. To dance and be elegant, to be furious and forceful! You're the only one that lets me show all of those things, Setsuna!" A shiver.
Her eyes are wet, and she smiles. "Sometimes I think I don't deserve someone willing to see all of the sides of me. I pray every night I'll one day get to see all of the sides of you."
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Meioh [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
There's no mistaking that smitten look on Setsuna's face, after she recovers somewhat from the awe to show it. It changes the shape of her eyes, away from their sorrowful set. The fierceness of Kasagami's responding embrace surprises her, by the little sound she makes into the other girl's hair.
Then her arm wraps around Kasagami's waist and she bumps foreheads with the other girl, flushing a bit darker for the public display even as she joins it. "Kassie," she murmurs, the name and the name alone at first.
"Every time I get to see a new facet of you, it's like a new color gets added to my world. I am the lucky one here, believe me." A sigh escapes, warming the small space between them. "I... want you to see them, too." There's a quieter sense to Setsuna in Kassie's arms then, from the touching on secrets and things unsaid, among other things.
She interrupts the mood change herself with a squeeze and a smile. "I'm glad we got second place. Come, let's find you that hat..."
