Epiphany within Shadows. (Concluded)

"No I wasn't the one that was wearing it. I had one of my friend, Jessica, wear it instead. She is better at being the costume than I am and that actually helped with my ranking a bit as well. She is a much better actress than I am. In fact she was my go-to model since she really enjoys this stuff."

Sierra ponders for a bit at Pash's inquiry before shaking her head. "Not as likely. They are a bit particular about whom they want to have as model if at all. And the ones you want to model for would want more attentions from female."

“Awwww, well it was worth a try,” said Pash, sad that she would not get the chance to get to wear pretty dresses and get paid to do so.

“So do you think anyone has a Mami Tomoe dress here? I absolutely adore that one. I don’t know how to do that drill hair, but I would find a way I assure you. Ooo, I think I could pull of the Sailor Venus outfit too, so what about that one?” asked Pash while eagerly looking around, hoping to find recreations of her favorite outfits.

"For Mami specifically, there should be but the time that the cosplayers that has those are around is a bit random and this would be their off hours so we are kind of out of luck there.  As for Minako Aino, we actually have one for her here."  She points towards a booth where a Sailor Venus cosplayer was practicing a pose that Sierra didn't recognize but Pash probably would.

"But we have also have a supringly large amount of Ami Muzino, or Mercury, cosplayer for some reason.  Maybe it is because it is easier on the hair-spray budget?  Sadly the atelier hall isn't a dedicated con location so you don't really too many cosplayer variations here."

“Oh, a cosplayer, so the outfit is not for sale?” asked Pash sadly.

But before Sierra could respond, Pash had already ran over to the cosplayer in the Sailor Venus outfit, and was looking it up and down.

“Oooo, nice pleats on the skirt… so did you make this yourself? What about the shoes? Did you buy those somewhere? I really love this bow… so you like Sailor Venus too…?”

Pash could see that she was probably making the cosplaying girl a little uncomfortable, or maybe she was not, but either way, she just had so many questions.

One second the aforementioned cosplayer was making some Sailor Venus poses for her friend's camera. Then next second, someone suddenly zipped right next to her and bombard her with question about the costume while her is trying to process the actual presence of appearing before she manage to recover.

"Whoa whoa slow down there, girl. One at a time. Thanks. Yes I did make it but it wasn't by myself. Had a few help to getting it the way it is. And yeah I like Venus but my favorite is Jupiter though. Next?" Apparently this isn't the first time that happened to her.

It was then and Sierra manage to catch up with Pash. "Never seen you take off so quickly like that."

“Oh so Venus is not your favorite? Would you be willing to part with that outfit then? I can give you, ummmm,”

Pash took off her backpack, reached a hand in and started rummaging around.

“Ah, yes, I can give you this pair of sapphire earrings!”

She had pulled out a pair of silver earrings with a small blue sapphire in each. They looked really old. Not old in that they were no longer shining, but old in that the metal work had a certain, well, it was very obvious they were handmade.

“Heehee, won these in a bet. Some girl was silly enough to think she could raise more money for a orphanage than I could in a 16 hour period. I ended up beating her by one penny. True to her word, she gave me these.

“Oh Judy, I’ll never forget you, you crazy girl you,” said Pash with a dreamy sigh filled with nostalgia.

“But yeah, these earings, that sailor venus outfit, what do you say?”

“Haha, yeah, I can move pretty fast when I want to Sierra. I can’t help but love that outfit.”

Sierra steps forward as she takes off her purse and was about to take out some coins but the cosplayer holds her hand up to stop the artisan.  "No I don't need money."  

She then turns to Pash   "And keep those earrings since those sound like a mementos to you.  I will only give this to you on one condtion: show me that one of you are better fit to wear this costume than I am."

Sierra then steps back and shakes her head. "I am not a dedicated cosplayer here, only did it once and got decent marks but not top marks."  She looks over towards Pash, whom to be more of the expert on the magic girl motif than she is. "Beside, I don't want to deny her a moment of wearing the costume, even if it is just temporary."  Beside those skirts are way too short.

"Ohohohoho, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment. So how do you want to hand the outfit over to me? Oh wait, what size shoe do you wear?"

Pash had already placed her foot next to the closplayer's orange heels.

"Yeah, I think we are about the same. I should be able to fit in that."

She then placed her hand on her head and shifted it over to the cosplayer to compare height.

"Hmmm, just a little taller than me, still, it should work."

Then Pash leaned down to get close to her waist and hips and was staring with no shame at all.

"Oh yes, what a lucky day, we are pretty much the same there."

"Alright, let me have a shot at it. And you sure you don't want these earrings? They are quite nice. And yes, there are a memento, but the crazy girl who gave them to me would totally want me to trade them in for a cute outfit like that. She was all about living for the present, constantly wanting to try new things."

The cosplayer measures up to Pash side by side with that slight hint of a smirk of amusement on her lips as she cooperated with Pash.

"Yeah I am sure. And I am wondering why you do not wear them yourself?" She took a good look at the earrings for a moment and notices a few things that caught her appraising eyes immediately. "And if you don't need them, you can actually get a good value for that. Looks to be dated a good while back."

(Sorry for the delay and lack of response, am having a bit of a dry spell at the moment. Hoping to try to back into things again.)

"*giggle* well, blue is not really my color. Well, it used to be, once upon a time, but now I hardly every wear them anymore."

"and thank you, I think they are quite lovely as well, which is why I offered them to you. I don't want to just take your outfit for free you know?"

"Ah, you had to know this girl. If she found out I sold them for money, she would kill me. But trading them to someone who likes them in exchange for a super cute outfit? She would kill me if held on to them and let that super cute outfit slip away for ever."

"Yeah, she was quite the girl."

"Once upon a time..." The girl ponder the meaning of that, wondering if an event has changed that before that isn't really her business to pry. "Well I will consider taking those, but first I do need to make sure that these outfit would go appreciate and for a good cause though. I'll be back to change out of it first. Excuse me." She goes out towards the changing room leaving the two of them for now.

It was then that Sierra decided that she won't be interrupting any conversation (or Pash's chances to get to cosplay a senshi). "Out of curiosity, what is she like? It sounds like you two shared a commmon love for cosplaying, or at least lovely outfit." Her gaze did dart to basket in hand where her notebook resides in.

"Oh don't worry, that outfit is going to be very cherished and loved," said Pash to the cosplayer as she walked to a dressing room.

"Oh Judy? Haha, nah, she was not into cosplaying as much as she was just into living life to the fullest. Cosplaying was not really a thing back then now that I think about it. She was the daughter of an aristocratic family. She was under all sorts of pressure to act a certain way and did not like it, so she would sneak out of her estate every chance she could. She would dress in plain clothes and get herself involved in all sorts of things in the public square."

"We became friends because she was fascinated how I could sway people to *giggle* doing things for me just by being super sweet to them. She was used to the idea of people only doing what her family wanted because they were scared of them. Being the brash girl she was, she just came up to me and cornered me and started asking all sorts of questions on how I did what I did. I was scared at first, but after talking for about half an hour, I decided to show her, then she begged me to teach her."

"One thing led to another, and we ended up becoming great friends, always meeting each other when we could."

Pash then smiled at Sierra.

"Kind of like how we are doing now."

"She loved the idea of changing the world with sweetness, and she eventually got really good at it. We would even have competitions. It started small. Such as we would both approach someone who looked sad, heh, now you see how I operate the way I do, and we would see which one of us could make them burst out laughing first."

"Then we got more ambitious and would have contests such as seeing who could raise the most money by getting donations within a set amount of time for the orphanage. Things like that."

"I won those earrings in one such contest with her."

"From the sound of it, it sounds like someone I could get along with.  Though it also sound like it is someone that is a while back and probably a good distant from.  A shame since I would really like for her to try a lot of my outfits or food."  Her expressions lit up  "Is that still possible?  Even then I still think she would love this city since there is quite a wide variety of things to do here and I would really like to meet her someday. What is her favorite hobby?"  

She pauses for a moment though.  Except there is still the issue with Haven's political schism, would some of Judy's background would recognize the core.  She realizes that she was getting ahead of herself though.

"And in a sense, all 3 of us are trying to make the world a better place for everyone...which sounds suspiciously like something you hear from a fiction story."

It was then that the cosplayer has returned holding the Sailor Venus outfit she was in while wearing a white button-down blouse and black  knee-length skirt with stockings and black low-heels.

"Ah, I'm sure you would have liked her. She had a love for life that was just infectious, and I'm sure she would have loved you too. She loved seeing people working hard to raise themselves up in life and was always looking for ways to help people like that with the influence she had."

"As for her favorite hobby? Hmmm. Kind of hard to say. She was always doing different things. I guess when she met me, she decided to work really hard at being charismatic. Like, being able to just look at a person and immediately know all the right things to say to that person to make them happy. Mainly because that is what started our friendship, wanting to learn how to be really really charming to people."

"But sadly, the best I can do to introduce you to Judy is to take you to her final resting place, which is not exactly close to here. I make a point to visit her grave when I'm in that part of the world."

"But you will be happy to know that she lived a long life and married a man who was very kind to her. She had two kids, but I never really met them. We always met in secret, so she could not exactly bring them along. And once she had her first baby, we started seeing each other less and less."

"Kind of bittersweet you know? I mean, on one hand I was slowly losing a friend but on the other hand I was so happy that she was able to..."

"...ah, no point in jealousy, eh Judy?" asked Pash to no one in particular.

"Ah! The outfit!" said Pash, happy that something has come along to distract her from her increasingly sad thoughts, "So, where should I go to change into it?" she asked.

"Oh...I see."  She slowly said sadly as the mention of Judy having passed away which caused Sierra to somewhat regret mentioning about meeting her as she did not wanted to invoke old sad memories, even if the ones in life was fondly remembered.  

"She does sound really nice. Sadly time doesn't seem to agree with having us meet but in a sense I am glad that lived a fulfilling life. I think that in a sense that she mostly have little regrets with her life."

It was then that she is aware that it is likely that Pash is going to outlive her as well and be part of another memory.  It was then that she re-evaluated her companion once more.  It was very difficult to find companionship when her presence slowly makes them obsessed with her regardless of either side wanting that result or not.  And those who can still be around her (or at least alternate spending time with and away), she has to watch them fade away into time.

Yet in the midst of that, she manage to not only shine but the said light seems to be contagious as it spreads to others brightening their days making the day bright, or at least not so dark. She reflected on some of the examples, the artist she was talking to, some of her own words describing it, herself to a degree.

"Pash you are really amazing, you know that?" She smiles to the midara. She was going to say a bit more before the other girl came to their vicinity.

"Sorry it took so long but I didn't want to stretch the fabric." Her finger pointed out towards the door with the coat hanger icon secured on the front. "You can go ahead and change over there. Just go into a booth that does not say 'Occupied', head in and turn the knob behind you to let people know there is someone in."

"Hmm...also I don't think I got your name. I'm Rin, nice to meet you."

"*giggle* why thank you Sierra. I think you are quite amazing as well," said Pash with a wink.

She was not sure what the compliment that seemingly came out of the blue was for, but she did not exactly have much time to think about it seeing as how the cosplayer was now walking towards them with the outfit.

"Oh! No need to apologize for that haha. How could I get mad at a cosplayer who respects her costumes?"

"And yeah, this one does require one to be careful about stretching it no? I mean, it is a rather *giggle* tight little outfit."

"Rin eh? Well it is a pleasure to meet you Rin. I'm Pash. This is Sierra... but I'm guessing you already knew that? Maybe? I'm not sure. This is my first time here."

"Anyways, thank you so much. I'll be right back."

Pash took the outfit and headed for the dressing room, making sure to lock the door behind her as Rin had asked. She then slung off her teddy backpack and set in on the floor. She took off her current outfit, put in in the bag which seemed to not get any fully after a hoodie, a t-shirt, a pair of jeans and a pair of sneakers had been put in.

Carefully she put on the leotard as gently as she could so as to not damage it and now became very much aware of what the cosplayer was referring to when she handed over the outfit. Then came the skirt part which was much easier. Then the big red bow in the hair. Slipped on the orange heels, tiara, earnings, gloves, then she gave herself a look in the mirror.

And now she became very much aware of just how much leg she was showing.

She made a comment to Sierra about how she was proud of them and she loved showing them off earlier. Before she got attacked...

Did she really get attacked today? Goodness that seemed like a lifetime ago now. Guess following Sierra here was really effective at getting that bad event out of her head.

Anyways, now that she was finally in the costume of her dreams, she could not help but feel a little bit like she was crossing the line here. I mean, never has she wore something that showed this much leg...

I mean, short of a swim suit, but she could not even remember the last time she went swimming...

Oh well, now that it was done, all she could do was own it.

She unlocked the door and walked out with her teddy backpack in one hand at her side. When she approached her friends, she placed it on the floor.

"So, you think I pulled it off?" she playfully asked as she put one arm across her body and one arm in the air with her palm facing upwards in Sailor Venus's post transformation pose.

Rin nods as Pash introduces herself and Sierra as she smiles while she smiles to the two.

"The pleasure is mine Pash.  And I've met Sierra before.  She helps with a few methods that lets me make this outfit in the first place.  That said, I think you would be eager to try out the outfit.  We'll wait for you out here."

Sierra smiles at Pash and nod before they allow Pash to start changing out of her normal outfit into the Sailor Venus outfit with the last thing she sees and them starting out a conversation with each other and Sierra reaching for her designer notebook.

When Pash return Sierra had already sketched a concept art of what appears to be another outfit, which seems to be somewhat of a cross between a fantasy healer and a light themed mage while point at a region of the outfit, the sleeves and explaining something.

"...and you can conserve materials without exposing yourself too much if you don't want to fanservice too- oh hey Pash!  Looking very nice!"  She caught notice of Sailor Venus Pash on her way back and striking out the trademark pose.  This divert the attention of Rin from the drawing to Pash coming out to showcase her.  Rin gave a nod of approval as well.  

"Well you do have the fire and soul invested.  You even got the lower arm correct, a lot of people seem to miss that.  You're only missing a spin; that hard to pull off with heels notably though,"  She did pause for a good ten seconds as if making a judgment.  "You've got my approval, the outfit is yours."  It was then Sierra clapped for Pash's success but apparently her applause is not the only one but a few other onlookers were applauding after she did as well.

"Why thank you Rin," said Pash. "And thank all of you as well," she said while smiling to those clapping for her.

"This outfit means a lot to me. Not only am I a big fan of the scouts, but the next time a gang of thugs is up to no good, I want everyone to see that the soldier of love and beauty will be on the lookout, *giggle*

The giggle at the end made it hard to decide if she was being serious, or just playing up her character.

"Ah, hard at work on another outfit already? I should have expecting nothing less from those as good as the two of you. May I ask what you are going for."

With show concluded, the crowd went back to their business before the three congregate back together again after the Sailor Venus display. Sierra just smiles, knowing that Pash is actually capable of exactly just that while Rin smirks at what Pash declare what to do with evil-doers before she comments.

"Not a problem, just happy the outfit is going to someone that really appreciate the art."

In the meanwhile Sierra had flipped over what Rim and her was talking about. It was a white haori (folding kimono jacket) with red outlines and a red hakama (long divided trouser) with white thin outlines along the bottom part. At the top is a thin red red hairbow with several oriental characters at the very end. To the side are several decorations that the user will hold as part of the cosplay including beads, a form of branch, and dolls.

"I am helping Rin with a miko outfit for the next competition. She actually has been practicing the ceremonies to roleplay with the cosplay and even is learning the history and culture. She takes her cosplay pretty seriously.

"Ah! That is a really nice looking outfit. And such attention to detail. I'm sure you will do the outfit justice due to all of the research you have put into it."

Pash then turned to Rin.

"So, ummm, what happens now? I mean, how does the whole wearing a costume in this place work? Am I expected to do anything? I really don't know how this place works..."

Rin shakes her head briefly. "Well since there isn't any competition, there isn't really any procedure on how to do it and you can just wear it as you please but the Atelier Hall isn't the only place to find costumes. The theater also houses quite a lot of cosplaying and that is where the cosplay competition takes place along with other performances, about a week or so give or take. It is a very enjoyable experience but you better get tickets at the theater before they are sold out."

The woman turns her wrist to take a glance at her watch briefly before sighing. "Sadly, I have to head back home." She gives a warm smile to Pash and makes a friendly yet foreign gesture. "Was nice meeting you Pash, hope you can be able to make it to the competition." She turn smiles and makes a similar gesture to Sierra. "And thanks for the help, Sierra. We'll meet against on Thursday to see if there is anything else we can touch up on."

Sierra carefully closes her sketching notebook before beaming brightly in return. "Sure! Will make sure to make some meat buns on our meeting." Sierra was slightly uncharacteristically mischievous about the last part which became clear with Rin's stomach grumbling slightly audible from the mention of meat buns causing her to groan briefly

"You just had to do that to me, Sierra."

"Well see you later Rin. It was nice meeting you as well," Pash said to the girl who was starting to leave.

She then turned to Sierra,

"Psst, Sierra, what was that gesture? Is it some secret club thing? Getting attacked today has gotten me all paranoid about secret societies now..."

"And couldn't you just give her one of your sandwiches? I know you got more in there. Teasing her like that. Shameless," said Pash while shaking her head with very exaggerated disapproval on her face.

"And speaking of those sandwiches and her hunger, I'm kind of hungry myself now..."

"...but this outfit has the amazing ability to make me not want to eat. I mean, look at it. I feel like just eating a cracker will make me look fat in it. I can see why she is hungry..."

"So you help her out? As in you had a hand in making this Sailor Venus outfit? That's pretty cool. What was the hardest part of this one?"

"Hmm? Oh the hand motion?" She repeats what Rin was performing in her own direction for Pash to see, but not anyone else to see; the motion isn't well duplicated though. "Rin isn't from around here and she has some habits from where she came from here. As for what it means." Sierra pauses in thought looking briefly distant. "It is roughly translated to safe road or something, I probably butchered the meaning."

"I help with a lot of the technique and designs but she is the one that creates the idea and the details as she can actually act a lot better than I can and is more in her field of expertise. In fact she is in the top 10 in the competition due to our efforts"

She stopped as Pash soon mentioned the sandwiches in which she forgot that she has with her. A second later, cue facepalm! Then looks to where Rin was leaving but she is too far from where they are, as her legs give her quite a long strides (or maybe is eager to find something to eat). "Ugh my fault, I guess i owe her some extra food after that."

Her eyebrows quirks upward in surprise as Pash stated how the outfit seems to suppress her hunger. "It makes you not hungry? That might be her enchantment since I did not remember making any magic adjustments or enchantment to it." Sierra gave a nonchalant shrug, I guess that would make sense as hunger pangs might throw a monkey wrench in your performance.

"Still, despite that I didn't think you would be able to find a costume, I am really glad that you were able to find yourself one!" She claps in joy and a wide smile that figuratively lights around her. "Would your skill allow you to transform into the outfit if you have it?"

"Oh! I see now! I hope I get to learn more about her, but I should probably avoid bombarding her with questions like I did just now *giggle*."

"Haha, yeah, she's got pretty long legs does she not," said Pash as she watched Rin walk out the door all the way on the other side of the building. "No wonder she went with this sailor scout outfit."

"Oh, haha, see, that's not what I mean. This outfit is very, *giggle* form fitting to say the least. If I were to gain just one gram of fat, it would show quite easily."

"Well, it took some tries for me to figure out how to transform into my white dress outfit ala magical girl style. I should thank you for that by the way. Talking with you about magical girls is what made me sit down and try and figure out a way to make it happen."

"So probably not right now, but give me a few hours of practice and I should be able to do it. Probably not as glamorous and complex as the actual Sailor Venus, but close enough *giggle*."

"Don't have to thank me for it, we are just chatting as usual but glad it gave you some ideas about your outfit.  If anything we both helped each other help as I think I have ideas on a good prototype for a grappling hook of a sort as well as a few miscellaneous helpful things.  That being said, I think we are both getting closer to our inspirational archetype of magical girl and gadget girl respectively".  She says this with a grin a brief bounce of her heel.  

"Even helpful for you is that Rin is actually a very good magical girl actress so that you can actually ask her any additional questions about it.  And don't worry about peppering her with questions.  Since you are carrying part of her legacy of the outfit, she would be happy to answer any questions."  Sierra takes out the communication orb from her belt before.  "Just let me sync her signal to your orb."  She holds out a hand to Pash for her orb.