Epiphany within Shadows. (Concluded)

“Haha, if only I could go up to some spiders and say: ‘hello Mr. Spider, can I please ask you to make lots and lots of silk for me so I can make a pretty dress.’”

She finished her sandwich and looked around.

“So now that we are in town, anyplace you would like to continue our conversation at?”

"Huh, we got back to the main area pretty fast." She takes a side glancing behind her as they have ditched the park area. Another cursory glances lets her see that some maintenance crew was on their way to the broken light pole, none the wiser of what had taken place.

"Well, restaurants are out since we just ate and I want to stay to the main area of Haven for today. We got a couple of options:"

The first is the market square, the evening to night time is the busiest which means a lot of merchants selling their wares, and there are a LOT of them, but it is also a bit crowded there.

The next option is the theater where daily performance usually takes place for a few different genres which also includes magic shows and magic effect visual performance.

The arena is where you can test your skills in a regulate environment or watch others do so as spectators. Today, there is a minor tournament that will take place soon. I myself do not participate since I am not really a dedicated combat profession.

Finally the atelier hall is where one can practice their crafting arts and show off their creation, or even converse with other crafters which also serves as a hang-out place as well. I am a regular visitor there.

Those are some of the few options and not the only ones, if none of those appeal to you, I have some other locations I can suggest."

“Oooo, the arts and craft place please. Since we were talking about cute outfits, let go there to see what they have.”

“So you go there alot? What can you tell me about the scene? Are people nice to each other there or is it super competitive?”

"Well a bit of both but for the most part, we are pretty friendly with each other with the rivalry, almost always friendly. In the occasional case that things get too hostile, both individuals must speak with a mediator of the hall before being allowed back in. On the flipside, we did had people bond over creations, I think a few cases end up being a couple.

And on unrelated fields, some very skill individials can even get sponsors from companies or may even be hired if they desire. It is a good place to practice your work and even find employment if become skilled enough." She pauses for a moment from a fleeting thought in her head before she snaps her finger.

"Oh yeah that's right! That guy you spoke of, the talented one. You should direct him here to maybe find a place to make his mark in this world."

“Oh yeah, Mr. Art Man. Haha, well, if I had know I would have done that. Sadly I don’t know where he is anymore and I’m pretty sure he does not remember who I am anymore. I kind of saw to it that he would not.”

“But maybe one day I’ll see him there, selling a beautiful painting of me, the girl who he does not know yet somehow lingers in his memory, smiling at him and encouraging him to be the best he can be.”

Pash had a silly, soft eyed, daydreaming look on her. Even when talking about someone else becoming successful, she still found a way to make it about her.

“And of course there would be a super big crowd of people all bidding up the price of it. Then in the chaos of the bidding, he would catch a glimpse of me smiling at him. He would make a run for me, but then I would have disappeared into the crowd.”

“*giggle* Just like in those cheesy chick-flicks you know.”

"Complete with the cheesy glowing sunset backdrop and sparkles." She muses softly while snickering silently at Pash's 'dreamy fantasy' expression on her face as if she got struck by a dream spell. "Although I wish you gotten his name, might have been able to find him easier. Or at least know where he would be if he ends up being famous.

And no I doubt that he would forget about you, knowing your habit of helping people's spirits. If anything, I would think he has a crush on you or fallen for you." While Sierra still maintains that trademark sweet smile, there is a hint of mischief in her eyes.

“Haha, why of course he had a crush on me! How could any boy not be infatuated with me after being graced by my presence,” she said as she tossed her hair.”

“Well, if they are not infatuated, then they are gay. It is the only explanation. Nothing else would make sense and that is a fact.”

“*giggle* but seriously, he probably does not even think I’m real right now. I kissed him into a daze before running off. So now he probably thinks he just imagined me.”

“But maybe one day I’ll see him again. And then I’ll show him the picture he drew in my notebook and he will be like “omigosh! This is so surreal! I though I only drew that picture in a dream.”

“Then, of course, he would pledge his undying love to me, but I would be like: ‘I’m sorry Mr. Art Man, but we simply cannot be together for the Gods like to play cruel tricks and right now we are but their playthings.”

“Then we would cry, and then walk away from each other sadly, while still crying.”

“Then it would start to rain.”

“Yeah.”

Sierra waves over as she directs their path towards the large but seemingly plain looking building towards the west while Pash rambles on with her imagined story.

"That is the problem with 'fairy tales' on this world sadly, it is really hard to get that 'happily ever after' ending." She stops to think for a moment about stories of this world. "Then again the stories hasn't concluded so there is still much time to write ours stories.

Then she smacks herself on the forehead. "Ay! I forgot they also could do actual stories here as well! That part of creation as well."

“Well, a girl can dream right?”

“Eh, are you saying there are people writing stories in there? Any chance of a book about a pretty magical girl who goes around fighting the forces of evil while being adored by everyone?”

"The magical girl genre is actually a fairly popular genres especially for the girls and those have actually creates sub-genres of princesses and queens that is close to that genre.

One of the aversion to the genre is a story I like that has one teenage queen, whom was only in power for a few months, ended up stopping a sorceror warmonger not through power or magical abilities but a very beautiful song that reached into his heart of a minstrel and as a father of two daughters.

They have not heard his father's singing in years that he went out on his conquest and if she ended killing him, they would never will; and if he wins, would he return to them or will he continue with his conquest.

She held her hand to him in an offer of peace that they can still be friends and that she will teach him new songs to sing to his daughters. In the end, he was hesitant but finally took her hand and the war ended as was his desire for conquest.

The kicker? This is actually based on a true story."

“Ah, what a sweet story,” said Pash with both hands on her cheeks and her eyes closed. “Personally, I just like reading about cute girls who get to dress up in cute outfits and save the world.”

“So what other stuff do they have in there? Have you sold anything there before?”

"Well some practical gears such as weapons, armors, traveling tools and even durable clothing for traveling in less-than-ideal environment. Fashion clothing including dressings, slacks. There's also art, calligraphy, painting, sculpting, I think we had a dryad visitor came here and made the artisan hall decoration with floristry." She points to part of the walls in the building which, upon closer look, are actually grown flowers that decorate the front of the Atelier Hall.

"There is no rules against acts and songs, though in most cases, the theater has more things to help with aspiring musicians and actors. Stories you can go either here or the theator to share an have others help improve on your works with songs and stories.

There are even inventions, though those are more supervised and/or need to be in a separate contained room. Accidents sometimes happen."

"As for me selling, I actually paid off my tuition with my clothing, both practical and fashion. I've also gotten a sponsorship from the Primaveras themselves, the family that owns the restaurant we ate that other night with Professor Durkin.

The only problem at the moment is that I...tend to get swamped by fans upon entrance. So once we enter there, prepare for some squees." She points to the close entrance of the hall that is very close. "One of these days I am going to have someone invent me an optical camouflage..."

“Ooooo, so pretty,” said Pash as she looked upon the flowers. “Dryad folk need to visit places more often if that is what they leave behind haha.”

“That is so cool that you can pay for your education by making clothes, and the Primaveras are sponsoring you? That’s amazing. So how often do you come down here to sell the clothes you make? What is the most popular item you make? Or are you always mixing it up.”

“Haha, well, you should be more worried about me as I don’t know if I can handle not being the center of attention for a change,” she said as she did that silly hair toss.

“But why would you want to hide from them? These are people who love you and who buy your things so that you can go to school. All you have to do is wave and tell them how grateful you are for their support and that alone will make them so happy. They just want to show appreciation to you for making things you like, no need to hide from that.”

“I honestly can’t even imagine myself in your shoes right now. I absolutely love being in the spotlight.”

"I am actually pretty versatile of the things that i make though the clothes and the food are the two field that people take notice of first. The girls for the former and everyone for the latter

And the last one is enough that the Primaveras have noticed it, tried my dishes, and sponsored me and left an offer for me to be hired as senior chef, a position not many outside of their family are quailified for.

But funny enough, the things that I am most well paid for is not from either of them but from traveling gears and potions. It's like one of those RPG where the protagonists stock up on items before heading out and I am one of the NPCs with good items sets." She laughs softly.

"As for the huge flock of fans. while it is nice to be appreciated yes and I like displaying my items. However at times, it actually hinders me from getting through though or sometimes doing what I need to do here. You'll see in a moment."

She turns the handle of the entrance to open the door wide enough for the two of them. At first nothing happened for a moment before someone gave a cursory glance before someone yelled out "Oooo it's Sierra! She has a new dress!" Before either of them know it, a semi-circle of people formed around them asking various question from her current dress to various trends to food topics Though the pair can traverse due to the crowd moving away to not deter her, it would still slow them down a little. Sierra turns and gives Pash a 'See what I mean?' look.

While Sierra might have expected Pash to be overwhelmed by the crowd of people, Pash knew exactly what to do. When Sierra turned to Pash to give her that ‘see what I mean’ look, Pash had already somehow produced a pair of aviator sunglasses.

“Just wave and smile at your fans Sierra, I’ll handle this” said Pash with a grin.

Pash immediately got to work making a path for Sierra to walk through, going from the door to the inside of the building.

“Excuse me…. Pardon me… VIP coming through… no, no autographs right now… please let her through…”

Pash felt totally cool for about 10 seconds, but then realised something and turned to Sierra.

“Wait, which way do you want to go again?”

The crowd looks a bit confused with the sunglass-wearing girl trying to clear the way, though they did leave enough room for the pair to navigate a bit more than before. Sierra gives Pash a grateful look at handling what she consider Pash's forte.

"Well usually I head over to the inventors to chat and debate with them, or speak with other tailors to give some advice on techniques. Today though I don't have any specific purpose in mind so either we can go to where you want to go or head over to my usual work-space in the halls."

A female voice from the hall megaphone calls to requests everyone to disperse from mobbing Sierra which causes the crowd around them to finally dissipate and revert back to the way it was before. The whole thing seems rather routine which makes it seems that this is common occurrance.

Pash was ready to help Sierra through the crowd, but when the voice came on the intercom and the crowd dispersed, she had nothing to do.

“Awwww, I thought I was going to get to be a cool bodyguard escorting a high value VIP, oh well.”

She then took off her glasses and placed them in her teddy backpack.

“Well, I would like to look at pretty dresses, so what do you think is best? Should we go to the sellers to see what they have or should we go to your workspace that I’m sure is filled with super pretty dresses?”

"My workshop is actually more of materials ready to be made rather than completed products. So if you are expecting a wardrobe of nice dresses, my workshop isn't the place to be, even though I have a few selection of them still on display. On the other hand, if you want to see the tools of how I make them, I do have many of them still there."

"As for finding more dresses to find, we'd have to kind of look around in tailor part of the atelier halls. These can range from the nice dresses that I am wearing right now to the type that you would normally see in a cosplay convention, magical girl genre included."

Pash’s face lit up like a christmas tree. Her mouth wide and her eyes practically sparkling.

“They sell recreations of magical girl outfits here!? Omigosh, show me show me show me.”

Pash then took a second to recompose herself.

“Ahem, I mean, please show me these delightful outfits that you speak of.”

Sierra giggles briefly from Pash going full kiddy mode at the mention of magical girl cosplay before nodding.

"Sure but we do need to do a bit of navigation since it is a bit of a walk, considering how big the hall is. I myself am more of a fan for the Jeanne D'Arc type of costumes. And kimonos, definitely kimonos."

She leads Pash through the hall towards the tailor section while passing through various section that the atelier hall has to offer. On the way, they get to see some calligraphy, stories, tapestry. There is even one individual making a show of using swordplay with a pair of paintbrushes while "attacking" a canvas, creating a show while making a surprisingly decent quality painting.

“Oh yes, Jeanne D’Arc. Now there is a girl of note. Her story is fascinating to say the least. Such an amazing figure, yet not quite a role model because any other girl who tries to be like her will get themselves killed in a heartbeat.”

“I’m convinced she has some midara in her as well. I mean, the way she managed to convince all those men to follow her into battle.”

“That or she truly was one of God’s chosen…”

Pash gave a sigh.

“The world is a fascinating place, no?”

“So are you talking about full metal armor for girls or the battle dress styles of anime cartoons?”

“And oh yes, kimonos are totes cute, but can be a bit much to wear. Especially in the summer. Quite a bit of fabric you know?”

"Don't think she is. Humans can do quite a lot despite lack of innate strength. Remember the story about story I told you about the queen that convinced that warlord to stop fighting with her song? She is actually human with a talent for music and words.

But yeah, she is someone to admire but not to emulate for me too. It doesn't really mesh well with how I work either. I am perfectly fine with not being at front and have everything working well from behind the scenes.

I was thinking of a costume with a bit of elements of both armor and battle dress. The full metal appearance would take a very long time to prepare and put on but some of the battle dress designs is made more for the fan-service rather than homage to the figure it was inspired on.

I have actually made a few kimonos that are more suited for the summers actually, not much though since there doesn't seem to be a big demand for them."

They finally reach the tailor section of the halls where there are quite a lot of outfits on shows and/or being worked on, ranging from simple blouses to elaborate cosplay of a general-themed Alice Margatroid from Touhou Project to wool scarves with a cherry blossom floral theme to what appears to be a camouflage outfit with several bits of leaves for hiding in the forest.

“So with you being a tailor/designer and all, did you ever make one of those battle dress outfits for yourself? You know, just for fun or a Halloween costume?”

"Not a knight theme but I did make one for a samurai theme for a costume contest. It was a blend of a samurai; I blended a kimono motif along with a matching samurai armor over it without covering the kimono. Of the 200 entries in the contest I ranked 32th. Then again it was my first entry so I didn't expect a prize."

She gestures to the crowd of cosplayers whom had quite an entourage of unique and elaborate designs. "Had to go up these lot of people that did this for most of their time or specializes in it."

“Well that is pretty good considering it was your first try and all. Did you ever wear it?”

“Also, seeing as how I don’t have any money, you think one of these vendors will let me model one of their outfits to draw in more customers? And if more people come, I get to keep the outfit?”

“I am quite good at getting attention, *giggle*”