Epiphany within Shadows. (Concluded)

Pash looks at the picture while chewing on another nugget. She thinks for a moment and then gives her opinion.

“It’s nice, but it is nice in that there is nothing about it that really stands out. Kind of like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich you know? It’s so well established that you can neither critique it nor praise it. It just simply is.

“Maybe replace the jacket with a denim one… You know, give it a little of that bad girl edge. So the outfit is like: “yeah I’m wearing girly clothes, but I’m not about to take any crap from you…”

She gives the picture one more look.

“Eh, like I said. It is just too hard to say anything about such a well established style.”

"Perhaps I can add the denim look though it seems you don't feel nowhere near as strongly for this one as the last one.  I guess it is because it is the everyday look?"  She looks over the design, perhaps not pronounced enough is the issue for this one.

"The other alternative is to remove the hat, swap the jean jacket and make it a suit jacket, and add a neck-tie for the classy look. That's the other thing I can think of that wouldn't change the whole outfit."

“Yeah, I guess you are right, every day looks are just not as exciting for me. It is a nice outfit as is and I feel that right now I’m just trying to add something for the sake of adding something, which will probably just end up making it look weird. You should probably keep it as is.”

“I don’t know about adding the blazer and the tie. I mean, it looks too school-girl like you know? Which is nice if you are a schoolgirl, but there is something about a grow woman wearing a schoolgirl outfit that just reeks of desperation for male attention. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a bit of male attention here and there, but I don’t want to base my life around it.”

"Well for practicality purpose, this designs will do well. Yeah it isn't anything that is new but it works for most and is pretty much on the safe side. In my opinion, let's keep that the way it is."

Unless Pash wants otherwise, Sierra moves to the last one. This one takes Pash's dress theme and puts it onto an evening gown. Delicate lace and rhinestones decorate the neckline while the ruching in the bust and waist creates a figure flattering silhouette. The gown's dress itself flows elegantly down to the ankle. Simple but elegant is the theme for this gown.

“Oh yes!” exclaimed Pash as her eyes lit up. “See, now this is what I like. And a little help in the bust as well. Giving my girls a little extra something something I see *giggle*”

She spent another few seconds taking in the design.

Then she squinted at it.

“Hmmm, now that I’m looking hard at it, I can’t quite tell what is going on in the shoulder and sleeves department or just how far down this neckline is going exactly. And is the back covered? I’m not the biggest fan of those bare back designs.”

"I don't usually do backless designs unless asked to. Unless they have wings, most people are fine with covered backs." She points her pencil towards the area on the dress though towards where the back would be.

"The cloth strap on the shoulder is actually a lace design that has been rather popular of late. Between the gaps is where you can see the shoulders a bit. And the pattern stops just above the breasts without showing off any them." She makes a circle motion towards the dress strap that is part of the support of the dress.

"Anything you want me to change on this?"

“Yeah, do you think it would ruin the dress if I asked for a long slit going up on of the sides of the skirt part? I do like showing off my legs. Quite proud of them, you know, with all the walking I do…”

Sierra just simply grins without a word as she erases par of the bottom of the dress before starting to carefully sketch up the design of the lower half of the dress, creating a slit along one side of the dress up to where the thighs are; then she starts to mimic the slit for the other side of the dress before smiling at Pash.

"Done! Figure accentuating from the top, showing the legs from the bottom. You'll definitely be drawing eyes.

Also the nice thing about this dress is that is pretty nice the way it is but is also pretty open to customization for almost anything, though I'll let you know if there are any design conflicts."

“Oh yes, now that is a sexy yet classy number. You know, I was only thinking about one slit. I was already worried you would think that would be too much, but if you think I can pull off the double slit, then I’m all for it.”

Pash then had a realization, and was pretty sad about it.

“You know, I appreciate this and all, but I don’t think I’ll ever get invited to an event where I could wear something like that…”

She sighed as she grabbed another nugget and ate it.

She pauses in her finalizing the sketch as she refined the outlines with something more concrete in appearance before her pencil stops as she listens to Pash's lament before sighing softly as she places the pencil down on the table.

"Pash...have you wondered what is the reason for all of this?" She rests her hands on the table, not touching the pencil, the drawings or even the food.

Pash considered this for a good second or two, thinking hard about all the possible outcomes, then she let out a gasp as her eyes lit up in excitement.

“Is this the part where you tell me you are my fairy godmother and when I turn around there will be a big, fancy pumpkin carriage waiting to take me to a glamorous ball?”

She was unable to stifle the soft laughter that escaped from her, covering her mouth with a hand in the process.  

"Sorry Cinderella but I have not invented the magic wand yet."  After that bit of fantasy joking is done, she pauses for a moment before continuing.  

"I am not sure how to paraphrase this correctly but it is a way to help with your life beyond food and a gift that will stay with you for as long as you are able to.  And even as you are not able found a place to stay permanently, then you at least have some sanctuary that you are welcome to. And while I cannot speak for everyone you've, there are many that are willing to offer a hand to you, even if it is just a moment."

It was then when she remove the gown design that there was actually one more design underneath.  Unlike the other 3, this one was more designed for functionality but still retains a nice aesthetic appeal, plus its appearance to seems to suppose to be a perfect mirror of Pash's normal outfit but an added purpose of retaining warmth. It was a white zippered jacket with a warm material lining on the collar and opening accompany with a several accessories included a cap with a bow and a pair of mitts. The design of fairly portable that when folded, it would take little space (aside from the fur lining).

“Awwww, I was hoping for that pumpkin carriage,” said Pash with a laugh. “But this is nice too.”

“*giggle* I hope you don’t think you are my only friend. And while I do appreciate you always being concerned about my well being every time we meet, I assure you I’m quite good at looking out for myself.”

“After all, I’ve only been doing this for a few hundred years now,” she added with a wink.

“But don’t let that secret out would ya? It’s a little harder to seduce boys when they know you are as old as I am.”

“But if you must know, my biggest fear is not finding a boy to dump love energy into one day when I really need to. It has almost happened a few times, but I’ve always managed so far. Boys always seem to be looking for monsters to slay in the name of adventure. My biggest fear is that one day they won’t.”

She then saw the sketch of the winter outfit.

“Ohmigosh that outfit is so cute!” she burst out. “It is like my dress, but I could actually wear it in the snow! Usually I have to settle for whatever I can find at the lost and found when winter comes. Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I spend all winter in an oversized man’s coat that looks all frumpy on me.”

She then looked Sierra in the eyes.

“Sierra, if you can only make one, please let it be this one. I would love nothing more than to be able to look that cute in the snow.”

She doesn't really say anything but simply smiles warmly before writing at the top of the winter jacket sketch with the letters "For Pash" and then back to the aforementioned midara.

"Of course, I was intending this one to be the one for you since I figured that you might some issue with the weather. Plus I figured that you would at least would like to look cute in the winter wonderland.

Also, speaking of size, I would need to take a few measurement if you do not mind so it would be snug for you."

It was then she takes something else out of the bamboo basket which reveals to be a tailor's measuring tape

“Oh yes of course,” Pash said as she got up. “I would love nothing more for it to be snug and super form fitting. The more I turn boy’s heads the happier I am. *giggle*”

“So since you are being so nice to me, what can I do for you in return? Anyway I can help you?”

"OK so I need for you to relax and breath out for a bit before I measure your chest." She waits for Pash to do so before she has the measuring tap circle around her front to to her chest with a comfortable tightness before using the end of the tape to note Pash's measurement before she writes down a number of the winter design paper.

"What can you do for me? Hmm, tough question. I am so used to do most stuff by myself so...anything you have in mind?"

“Haha, that tickles,” laughed Pash, but she did her best to hold still until Sierra was done.

“Well how am I supposed to know what you need help with? You are literally the only person in the world who knows the answer to that question haha.”

“But you don’t have anything in mind that’s no problem. Whenever you think there is something I can help you out with, you just give me a buzz on that orb thing, alright?”

"Mhmm. Yeah I'll let you know if there is anything." She removes the tape from Pash for a brief moment before repositioning it around her waists while instructing her to once again breath deep before starting to measure around her.

"So just out of curiosity, what is the most outrageous thing that you've every seen in the times you've traveled? The furthest I've traveled is near Haven and around the forest so I am not well traveled yet."

“Oooooo, most outrageous thing I have seen,” said Pash as she thought about it for a bit.

“Ah! I got it. Alright, so this one time, there was this boy who tried to attack me with a hula-hoop. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen. So he takes out this hula-hoop right? Then he spins it around him. Then he starts gyrating his hips to keep it spinning around him. Then he charges towards me hoping to hit me with the hula-hoop spinning around him.”

“Oh goodness, I don’t think I have ever laughed as hard as I did that day. Still makes me smile whenever I think about it to this day.”

She suddenly paused with her measurement with the word of some guy attacking with a hula hoop. Of course, she was taught by a professor that turned a dire fight against a boss level enemy into a food fight so she was somewhat adjusted to weirdness though this was still pretty new ground for her. Then the last bit almost made her fumble and drop the pencil from her hand after she wrote down Pash's waist figure.

"So wait wait wait! So this guy had the hula hoop around him." "She gyrate her own hips as if she has her own hula hoop. "And tried to bash you while it is spinning on him?" Unfortunate she comically failed to continue to gyrate her hip and walk as if trying to do a really bad imitation of that "attack" before she gave up on it and drop one rather mirthful comment. "That guy should work as a belly dancer..."

“Hahahaha, yeah, exactly like that,” said Pash while pausing to wipe a tear from her eye. “Exactly like that. Funnier still is the fact that he missed.”

“That attack sent me right to the floor though,” she continued between fits of laughter. “Hehehe, but probably not for the reason he was hoping.”

Pash then took a deep breath to regain her composure.

“Ahhh, yeah. Well, I don’t think he is the belly dancer type. He was a bright young boy trying hard to find his way as a man. Sweet as sugar he was. I hope he is doing well.”

Pash then looked off into the distance, thinking about that boy.

“Ha, what am I worried about? A boy that sweet and bright? I’m sure he’s doing amazing things right now.”

"OK one more measurement and we should be done. Can you sit down for me?" She had taken two measurement of the waist, one above the belly button and one at the wide part of the hip and is now taking the distance between Pash's shoulder and to the waist.

"Sounds like you are pretty fond of him. What exactly is his profession anyways? Attacking with a hula hoop doesn't sound like anything I heard of before."

“Oh yes, of course,” said Pash as she sat down.

“Honestly, I never asked him what his profession was. He was really young though, and kept talking about some professor, some I’m guessing he was a student.”

“Apparently he had saved his town when he was like 13 from an invasion of monkeys lead by a really smart monkey that went rogue…. I think that is how it went…”

“Yeah, it was a pretty weird place...”

“Haha, yeah, but then again, I’m one of those silly girls that grows fond of everyone I meet.”

“...Even boys who try to hit me with a hula-hoop apparently…”

"Judging from the whole professor and student matter and that he seems pretty capable, though I am not sure how strong these monkeys are, I am guessing a cadet of a sort similar to me.

"Especially boys with hula-hoops apparently. We seen a lot of swordsman, a good portion that swords as tall as they are. A hula-hoop of all things deserves some points in originality. Even if it doesn't seem practical." She lets the measuring tape unwind itself into a compressed form before writing down the final number for Pash's size.

"Aaand done! It shouldn't take me too long to make the coat and... oh wait, which outfit do you want for your doll?" She moves to the table to spread out the design photos again.

“Well, the hula-hoop was not his main weapon. He kept hitting me with this stupid electric baton thing that glowed blue. Would send electric shocks through me with every hit.”

“Ugh, I hated that thing.”

“Oh you don’t need to bring the pictures back out, that one is easy,” Pash said with a smile. “The super glamorous and sexy one of course!”