The Garment Jungle

[Terri Nutkins]

The great thing about being friendly is that when it is suggested to the owner of the complex that she needed to open up late for special clients, Terri usually got what she wanted. Sure, Gianna had made certain that Terri followed all the correct procedures and had even asked if there were any other merchants that wanted to open late, to which only a couple agreed. Naturally, the restaurants on the ground floor were open as usual but on the second floor, only Treetop Fashions was currently trading this night.

Terri had ensured that all her best designs were on display; dresses of various shapes, lace gloves, thin scarves, all from her new spring collection. In fact, Vivian and Angel would be the only souls to have seen her most recent creations and Terri was excited at the prospect.

Leaving her stall unattended, Terri hurried downstairs to wait for her clients to arrive, eager to make a good impression. Her dress? Well, it shimmered under the lights of Quicksilver Gate and her pout was delicately touched with lipstick; makeup she barely wore. Tonight was different. Tonight, she needed to fit in and to make her clients feel comfortable.

[Marcus Evan]

Marcus nods at Terri as she descends the stairs and gives her a wink and a smile as he passes her on his way up. The steely eyed man doesn't say anything, but when Gianna asked him if he wanted to reopen his stall later that evening for his neighbor's special clients, he couldn't think of any reason why not. Once at his stall, Marcus purposefully places the small metal box on the counter in back and does a once over of his inventory. The larger sculptures and decorative weapons rest upon the shelves lining the stall, saving the front counter space for the smaller and more delicate jewelry and other unique objets d'art. After placing a few more business cards in their holder, he eyes the sign hanging above the shelves as well as it's twin on the front of the counter. The shiny metallic letters spelling out METALWORKS have begun to fade a bit, but still provide a nice contrast to the darker, non-reflective block letters of MARKVII upon which they are superimposed. Satisfied, Marcus hopes the late night Quicksilver Gate shoppers will appreciate his assortment of handcrafted metal creations. More importantly, he hopes Terri appreciates that he skipped beer o'clock to try and help her make a good impression.

[Terri Nutkins]

Terri's Dress (Hopefully)

Terri was waiting for two new friends; she was quite surprised to see one of her oldest. Giving Marcus a huge grin and a quick peck on the cheek as he passed, she would play catch up another time. Marcus had always been a Hedge protector and she understood how sometimes his role would take him off for months at a time. She wondered what his reaction would be to the news that the Rick and Terri Show was definitely back on.

"Good evening, ladies. I hope you're both well?" Terri replied, excitement building once again as the adrenaline began to filter through her bloodstream, the potential that could develop from these apparent ladies of leisure; both in terms of friendship and business. If Christmas was any indication, Vivian possessed a wealth that many would covet yet also a charitable streak that came natural, as if the wealth meant nothing. That was a true sign of status.

As she turned, stepping in time with both Vivian and Angel, Terri matched their speed, guiding them towards her own stall, which was next to Marcus'. Throwing him a wink, she finally gave both her full attention.

"You're really too kind, Angel," the redhead smiled before adding, "I have to confess that everything on display tonight is brand, spanking new. I simply couldn't resist from giving such wonderful fashionista's something unique for spring. Can I get either of you a drink?"