Shopping with the Shadow

[Violet]

At about 7:55pm Diana pulls up outside of Nox in her Mazda 3. She doesn't get out of the car, but instead looks around for her unlikely friend, the tiny Mekhet.

She wears a simple outfit, a plain black t-shirt and dark wash jeans. On her feet are a pair of simple black heels. The only colour in her outfit is a bright pink purse. She isn't wearing any jewelry either, and her makeup is understated. Her skin is glowing youthfully.

In the ignition on her keychain is the multi tool given to her by Martha during their last meeting. Otherwise, she doesn't have any keychains.

Still not getting out of the car, she looks around for Martha from the drivers seat.

[Martha Villiers]

-1 Blush of Life

Martha was lurking in the shadows near the entrance. Seeing the automobile pull up, she scurried, hopped and limped over to the car. Using her cane, her posher C-Leg drags behind her. She's dressed in her usual school uniform. Zombie-blue twin tails bob in time to her limp.

A dash of red lipstick. A dash of blusher. A black stocking and black high heel shoe.

Wide eyed, her spectacles on the edge of her nose, she hobbles closer and bends down to look in to make sure it's Diana.

"Oh!" she coos, excited to see her friend.

"I hope all is well, Miss!" she chirps merrily. Blinking.

[Violet]

The tranquility Martha provides is appreciated, as usual. Diana smiles brightly. "Get in!!" she says, having already pulled the seat back for Martha to be more comfortable.

She takes a look at her more carefully. "Hey, you like comics right? Between your blue pigtails and your red lips I'd say you're starting to look a bit like Harley Quinn! Now all you need is a big hammer and you're set!"

A more thoughtful look at Martha brings to mind something she's forgotten. She forces blood to the surface of her skin to counterfeit life. "I almost forgot, we're going to be out among the Kine if we go shopping again. What kind of stuff do people usually wear to these things anyway? Super fancy clothes?" she asks as she places the keys in the ignition and the engine and the engine purrs. From her keychain dangles the multi tool Martha had given her last time they went shopping.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha is clearly utterly delighted to see her friend. Smiling, she leans on her cane and offers a cheery wave. Giggling merrily at the comparison to Harley Quinn. Nodding her thanks, "Thank you!" she chirps.

Nodding again, she sneaks a glance to Diana's legs as she thinks about clothing. Smiling, she lingers her eyes on Diana's knees and then the key chain, smiling her thanks to Diana that the keyring is being used.

Martha fumbles with the door for a moment and struggles inside. Keen to cross her C-Leg over her flesh leg and adjust her gymslip to trying to avoiding exposing too much stocking top. "Harley Quinn is very Mercurial! A most fascinating character! One wonders if DC Comics fully understand the power of that character. I feel they underestimate her..." she giggles while buckling herself into the seat belt. "Ah, well... clothing and Court..." she smiles sweetly, making sure to keep happy eye contact with Diana as the car begins to start.

"... short shorts...those are standard..." she deadpans.

Waiting a second before adding happily and playfully, "Ah, well. Something glamrous and stylish. Black...blue...gowns or sleek dresses... Miss York dresses well. As if she's attending an Academy Awards event. Miss Star would always dress very well too..." she sighs. Her mind's eye is filled with stockings, thigh high slits in gowns and high heels...

Her tiny hands grip on the seat belt and she falls silent. Happily awaiting Diana's reply.

[Violet]

Diana laughs. "Well, I certainly have a few pairs of short shorts laying around!" she says with a smile, and waits for Martha to actually tell her what to wear.

"Something sort of like what I decided to turn up to the first court in? That flowy white dress?" she asks, listening to Martha's opinion. "Okay well in that case, lets find a bridal shop that's open at this time. I'm sure they've got some bridesmaid dresses that would fit the description. Girls go there to find things for prom all the time."

A pause.

"In the meantime, maybe you can fill me in with what's going on between you and Marco??" she says with a giggle. "Before Josephine turned up, I saw how you two were carrying on at court."

[Martha Villiers]

Martha's eyes widen at the mention of short shorts in Diana's wardrobe. Whatever she's imagining, it's vivid.

"Ohhh." she nods, twin tails bobbing.

"AH! Prom... prom..." she echoes happily, clearly enjoying the idea of a prom and the gowns. "Well, that does sound an ideal idea, Miss!" she giggles. "Freedom of movement is always going to be a useful inclusion in your gown selection, Miss! One never knows what can happen at an official Court evening. I've seen so many Court events turn... er... Physical... to know that freedom of movement must be a factor..." she smiles, making a small hand gesture to her own short gymslip and perhaps miming that a thigh split gown might be a sensible option.

"Prom sounds a very exciting ritual! I daresay your's was exciting!" she smiles, hoping for a story before adding, "Ah, well, Marco and I... he's a very friendly chap. He's very, er...tactile..." Martha blinks and giggles nervously, "I think he flirted with me. I'm almost certain he did. He's very nice. Not really the buffoon people make him out to be...just in need of information, guidance and friends..." she nods, twin tails bobbing, smiling cheerily.

[Violet]

Diana pulls out her smart phone and googles for "bridal shops in Sacramento". She frowns. "I guess I should have thought of that, they're basically all closed right now. Well, whatever. Maybe I'll end up with something online." she shrugs and pulls the car out into the street, driving off in a random direction.

"Oh. My prom was pretty cool I guess. I had a boyfriend at the time, his name was Brad Sinclair, so there was no mystery as to who I'd be going with. I had my hair coloured back then, but it was all the same shade of pink. I went to The Beacon School. It had a decent theatre program but my family couldn't afford to send me to a private school or take the time off work to get me around to auditioning to any of the public arts schools. Still, I did okay." she says, smiling at Martha.

"Since the bridal shops are all closed, any better ideas?"

[Martha Villiers]

Martha nodded and smiled and seemed to be eagerly listening to Diana.

"A prom sounds a lovely event." a happy smile follows as she tries to imagine the scene. Gripping the seatbelt again, her hands tremble. "No bridal stores...?" blinking, she tried to give thoughts to an alternative, "Perhaps a theatrical supply store? Or a store that specializes in supplying clothing for contestants in beauty pageants? I recall seeing a documentary about a crook who made a career stealing from such stores!" she chirps, wide eyed at the absurdity of such specific crime.

[Violet]

"That makes sense. Some of those dresses cost an unbelievable amount. Do you watch TLC? Have you seen that show Say Yes to the Dress?? Some of those things are like fifty thousand dollars, and that's just for a wedding dress, never mind someone trying to get a title like Miss USA." replies the succubus, speaking rapidly. The topic is clearly entertaining to her.

"Even if we don't pick out something good for this formal court, I'm sure we can figure something out for the next." Diana says, taking a moment to look to her companion. Suddenly, a look of realization crosses her colourful features.

"I think there's a place called Costumes by Broadway that has extended hours for halloween. We can look there for ideas if nothing else!" she coos, looking toward the shadow. Her phone still out of her purse, she hands it to Martha. "Here, you can use this, or your own phone to look up the address because I don't know it, and I don't like looking things up while driving... Otherwise I can pull over, I don't really mind. What are you going to wear to the event?"

I said I was using it up there, but forgot to add the bar for -1 Vitae Blush of Life

[Martha Villiers]

"50,000?" she gasps, baffled at the level of ostentation involved. "Goodness me! That is ridiculous!" she gasps again and tries to imagine the sort of gown you could buy of 50K. "We should open one of those stores!" she gasps again, wide eyed.

Her C-Leg trembles.

Accepting the offered phone, Martha smiles and listens as Diana talks, with a giggle, she adds;

"Oh, I daresay I'll need to have freedom of movement, so something along the lines of what I'm wearing now!" she imagined some assault by Erika and her minions and then thought of Diana's thighs.

"I do enjoy dressing up though!" she giggles merrily, converting her small hands to pretend to be nekomimi ears with a playful smile.