“So, how the heck does that work?”

Vaughn asked, scratching at his brow. He persisted with stolen glances and constant second guesses at my form, thanks to disguise.

“I thought you couldn't do magic? Frayed mana veins and all, right? How are you even– Is’nt that illusionary magic?!”

He was struggling, but I couldn't blame him much. Realistically, I chalked it up to the same reason that I was as strong as I was with no change in body weight.

Something about the system, with naturally granted skills. It has to be more than just some ‘granted ability.’ Knowing what I do about physics and biology, I can’t help but think it's altering us at some core level.

I raised my own hand, looking at the alien-like pale skin compared to the tan I’d developed ages ago. It was silky smooth, even to the touch. My hair had changed entirely in color to that of a fairly dark cream color with no noticeable change in thickness or texture. Supposedly, my eyes had shifted to a green color, but we’d yet to find a suitable enough mirror for me to confirm myself. Pretty much the only verification I could give him was forcing him to touch where my horns were or poking him with my tail. Those were the only parts to remain unchanged physically; visibly, they seemed to turn nearly transparent. I say nearly transparent because he had the bright idea to douse me in water.

“I figure it's something at our core abilities. It's not the most stable, either. The last time I used it, I had to have help from someone with illusionary magic.”

I closed my palm once more, looking over to Vaughn as we walked.

“It’s like your bulwark, though, this was something I woke up with one day. I think Solah intended for it to pose some kind of use to us, given how she acknowledged how careful I needed to be with cleave.”

I nudged him, smiling.

“At best, it seems a bit unstable, see?”

I point at my tail, holding it ahead of us. It flickered in the light for a moment, a strange shifting pattern akin to an optical glitch on a camera feed, leaving a vague outline of it as it did.

“My mana is on the decline, but it's nothing to worry about as long as I stay out of trouble.”

The more I observe, the more questions I have. Again, my knowledge… My previous life… uneasy feelings everywhere I look. A strangling sense of familiarity in places I never wished I noticed.

I shook my head.

Now’s not the time. You can brood when you have your time to yourself. Think about the present, for once. My mana-

I glanced at the numbers denoting my mana reserve, constantly falling and recouping at an even rate. It virtually leveled out, which meant it would work as long as I didn't use it in a fight.

“Feels like it’s primarily just a quirk.”

He nodded, leaning back as he walked, treading the line between balance and falling backward.

“As long as it helps with whatever you’ve got planned up your sleeves.”

He seemed so nonchalant about it, trying so hard to seem like it didn’t freak him out earlier in the morning.

“Oh? Who's to say it won't?”

I stopped dead in my tracks, nearly cutting Vaughn off as I stepped in his way.

“Last I recall, ya glorified scribe, you were none too keen about it. Why the turn in confidence? Is it cause you’ve somehow come to like this face a bit more than the same old imp?”

I pressed a finger into Vaughn's chest, coaxing forth an expression of both surprise and aggravation.

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“Who said I liked either face, to begin with— wait, don’t turn this on me! We were out here for you now, anywho. The dress, right?”

Vaughn was fighting the same old sense of playfulness he harbored when we were younger.

That’s right, bud, come on. Let me see my friend again. This is more of a fresh start for me than you think. No more depressed Vaughn.

“I’ve got myself a new sense of willfulness, don’t I? Maybe I should try to wrangle you away from the desk a bit more, and you’d notice, hm? Tell you what, Vaughn. Do you think you can try to catch up to it?”

He rolled his eyes, pressing his hand down on my shoulder and keeping pace.

“Okay, you’ve got me with the acting. For god's sake, if I didn’t already know, I’d consider you someone different entirely.”

Acting?… I guess the change… was I was never as transparent with my thoughts. Or am I just wearing my heart on my sleeve more?

----------------------------------------

“You can’t just back out now; besides, the color… suits you?”

Vaughn halfheartedly complimented, looking away in his attempt to show some amount of decency, given how long we’d been working on our plan.

“I have to say, I am a tad disappointed, Vaughn. I’d expect you or Beryl to bring Kiyomi here for something like this, not some Francian girl.”

It was Claire, our first and obvious pick for the seem work. Her idle prattling turned my own initial bravado into little more than a spongy facade with her gossip and commentary.

“Nothing against you, miss. I just had money on it. You seem a decent girl.”

Claire spoke but seemed to have her heart barely half-packed into her words. They were little more than a show of hollow small talk. Not an ounce of sincerity was to be found, given how long I’d actually come to her for clothing. As if she wasn’t talking to anyone else but the real ‘me.’

“Ko, sorry? Dunno much of Vaughn's other associates, miss. I imagine I’ll have to meet the lamia first, though.”

Vaughn rolled his eyes at the word, a slight rub on his brow as he fought off secondhand embarrassment from my act.

“Not that I’d want them roped in on your shenanigans. I’m supposed to just be your second set of eyes to help with your choices here, aye? Or are you attempting to send another message?”

Vaughn took a moment before he seemingly regretted his words, fumbling to take them back.

“I know it’s for somebody else, by bad.”

Multiple thoughts crossed my mind, some less pleasant than others, but all to do with my conundrum of newfound wholeness.

If I weren’t all but factory reset, buddy. I’m not ready to tackle my more complex emotions on you two… it makes it hurt all the more seeing you fight yourself on something. Can’t rightly cheer you up without making it worse though.

“It’s go no one in particular.”

I seemed to cough out the words.

“Let’s just say it’s for giving people a rose to stare at.”

That was fucking pompous and narcissistic. Let’s hope he knew that was an act.

Claire seemed to roll her eyes as I spoke, weaving in the occasional annoying movement to keep her from touching my tail. I earned a grumble from her a time or two, yet somehow she seemed persistent enough to give us her full breadth of patience.

“Still, quite odd the colors you’ve picked out match someone else much better.”

She grumbled.

Was that an insult?

“Can’t help I’ve good taste then, ko?”

Another roll of the eye.

“If only you’d sit still like usual.”

And an odd complaint to boot.

“We're all done, miss.”

Claire let out an exasperated sigh, heavy and fraught with relief. She was tuckered out enough thanks to the constant chasing I’d pressed her into giving.

“Take a look.”

She’d pressed her palms onto my shoulders turning me to face the mirror she’d placed to the side, awaiting our approval of the dress.

About time, I didn’t say I wanted anything fancifu- ohhh.

A bold red color absorbed itself into my eyes, layered with yellow underlying material for the interior. It was far from my request, though nowhere near basic. It looked as if it was a step above the usual dress a young woman would wear about in Brenton, overly smooth and colorful in comparison. Granted, this was a dress meant to frame the wearer in a kind light. Even then, it was oddly functional and seemed to miss some aspect that felt as if it would fall right in place. No overexposed skin, lacking in frills, and only spacious amongst the shoulders.

Ah… I’m glad I’m not so conscious of these anymore.

It was a strapless dress, using the express anatomy of my chest to keep itself framed into some form of decency. Given that feature alone, it could be considered fanciful, but the accompanying black hood was meant to cover this when appropriate, providing an additional layer of protection and a sense of modularity. The dress was long, the skirt tight to the waste, but hanging lose and low at the ankle as two pleated seems followed just at the midsection of the thigh and followed the entire structure of the clothing down. This was entirely too functional of an outfit than one might expect, as if Claire worked with the assumption that it needed to be capable of field use if it came to it.

This is- it looks oddly refined, yet-

“This isn’t exactly what I asked for. Though I don’t know how it didn’t land such an impression without seeing it from this perspective.”

Clair placed the hood atop Vaughn's lap.

“Aye, well, a gut feeling tells me you're not the type of girl to avoid trouble. You carry yourself like someone I know, and having never seen you before, I’d say you ended up out this way through adventuring work. If I sent you on your way with that dress, it’d more than likely get shredded if it wasnt suited for it.”

Clair sighed as she counted through the coin purse that I’d given Vaughn.

“It’d be a shame to send you on your way and have it ruined, so why not make it a bit more enjoyable in the day-to-day?”

It’s not what I asked for, however… It does look nice…

I looked from the seamstress back to my reflection in the mirror. A small part of me wanted to life the veil on my little disguise, but I knew that’d do little to help for the time being. I’d have to put up with my imagination on how the dress actually suited me.

It’s still nice, and I do have the utmost faith in Claire's work. I can only hope Beryl will take to it.

“Thanks for the time, Miss Claire. We were kind of getting this last minute.”

Vaughn placed the hood over my shoulders as he spoke, seeming tired still given he’d watched the entire process save the measuring. A hand was waved back, brushing his apology aside.

“Most of my day to day it this type of work anyhow. It's easy to make or buy clothes to fit or resell in the first place.”

“Thank you, miss.”

I lowered my head slightly, and my hands clenched firmly together as I began to work up the courage for the next step of my plan.

“Work is work; just do take care of it.”

Claire smiled softly, the exhaustion showing in her gaze.

“Well, be on your way, you two. I’ve got to set shop and ensure I’m ready for the next customer.”