Twilight stretched its fingers over the city as TO and DH approached the last shop they needed to visit. It was another clothing store, of course, but this one wasn’t for practical clothing, it was for formal clothing. At first TO didn’t see the need of having formal clothing, but as they remembered the party and how they had been mistaken for serving staff, they considered that maybe one formal outfit might be necessary in case they had to do anything like that again.
The atmosphere of the shop was entirely different from any other shop they had been in. All the shops had their own atmospheres, their own sounds and smells, but this one was far different from any of them; it felt more like someone’s fancy hope, with extravagant art on the walls depicting people in formal dress, low music in the background, and food set on a table in the center, with couches all around it.
The shopkeeper was sitting behind a desk in the far back of the room, working on a sewing machine. They glanced up as TO and DH came in, finished something quickly, then got up and strode towards the two.
“You’re visiting late today, but I can certainly help you.” They said. The shopkeeper was the first civilian they had met who was taller than DH and TO when standing. They had white and pink chitin, which gave them a somewhat insectoid appearance. Their face had an angular look to it, but their eyes were huge and their arms longer than TO would have expected.
“I’m Celesto. He/Him. I’m the owner of this establishment, and the head tailor.” They held out their elbow.
“Tio. They/them.” TO responded as they bumped their elbow to Celesto’s, “And this is Dee; also They/them.”
“You can call me DH.” DH said as they also gently bumped their elbow to Celesto’s
“Of course, of course.” Celesto said as they took a step back, “Now then… How can I help you today? Looking for something for a formal gathering, I’m guessing?”
“Well, yes… but I see nothing on display…” TO said as they looked around the shop. All the other shops had had all their products on display, but this one had nothing but clothing themed art on the walls.
“If you look at the paintings I have hung up-” they said, gesturing to the walls, “You’ll see samples of some things I can make. We can start with one of these designs and alter it to your needs and tastes. I don’t have products simply hung to be taken off the rack. You choose the style, and I produce a beautiful piece of wearable art.”
“Oh.” TO said, their ears flicking with confusion, “I didn’t realize that’s how this worked…” They looked at their communicator again to make sure that they had read the information on the store properly. “Your listing says it’s just a clothing shop-“
Celesto sniffed, “Yes, a hazard of relying on labels.” He said, “But I assure you, I can make you an exquisite piece of clothing for any event. Anything you’d like-“
“Can you do something like this for me?” DH asked. They both turned and looked at DH, who had already started looking around at all the pictures on the walls. They stopped before a picture of a person wearing a long, voluminous gown in a variety of red colors. “Can you make this work with my wings?”
“Don’t you worry about your wings!!” Celesto said as they glided towards DH, “I assure you I can customize any outfit for almost any person! But I wouldn’t recommend those colors for you. I’d suggest instead…”
TO let their attention drift from the conversation and gratefully sat down on the couch in the center of the room. They’d get something to go with whatever DH ended up choosing, though they were certain they didn’t want a gown; there seemed to be too much fabric to it, and they didn’t know how they’d fly if they needed to. Maybe they wouldn’t have to, but the idea of not being able to fly at will bothered TO.
“-I can take you back to measure you now, if you like.” Celesto said once he finished going over all the fresh ideas he had.
“Yes!” DH said, their ears twitching and their wings puffing out in pure excitement. They turned to TO, “Do you mind?”
“That’s what we came here for.” TO said with a smile. They turned to Celesto, “I suppose I’ll have to get measured too?”
“Of course, but we can discuss your outfit once I have Dee’s- sorry, DH’s measurements taken.” he said. He turned to DH and gestured for them to follow him into the back.
The two left TO alone to wait in front, giving them a moment to just rest their feet. They sunk into the chair, and after a moment, looked over the drinks provided on the table. A quick check on their communicator pointed out which ones were safe for them to consume, so TO helped themself to a citrus flavored, bubbly drink. They downed half the glass - they hadn’t realized they were so thirsty- and then sunk back down into the couch and closed their eyes.
The day had been a lot. They loved spending time with DH, of course, but running around the shopping district, being bombarded with the lights and sounds and smells had all been a lot and TO was looking forward to going home and getting some rest.
They were trying to decide if they’d get something to eat on the way back when a bell chimed and the door opened. TO sat up in a panic, their wings puffing out and their ears pinning back as they looked around.
The person who entered the shop pushed herself in on an old wheelchair as she had no legs; from the waist down, she had a long grey aquatic tail with smooth fins on the end. She had her long, braided hair coiled up in a red pile in her lap, contrasting with her bluish grey skin. TO wasn’t sure of her race entirely, but her big black eyes and smooth face gave her a young appearance. She wore a dress that was made of what looked like carefully linked fragments of black, iridescent shells.
She said something that TO only half understood, looking as though she terrified. When TO could only return what she said with a blank look of confusion, she cleared her voice and spoke again with deliberate clarity, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“You didn’t.” TO lied. They sat up a little straighter, eying her as she came in.
“You’re not working here, are you?” She asked, looking around for someone else.
“I am not, no.” They said. They wondered if this woman might be part of the insurgency, and maybe that was why she seemed startled. Even now, her hands clutched at the wheels of her chair, her eyes were wide, and her voice was soft. “I’m waiting to be measured.” TO said, trying to calm themself, and to act as naturally as possible, “my mate is getting measured.” They tried to say it easily, but their ears still flushed as they did.
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She wheeled up towards the table, giving a soft smile as she got close, “Mate? Oh, that’s nice. A couples outfit.” She smiled. “Are you getting something done for a special event?” she asked as she eyed the food and drinks on the table before them. Oddly, she didn’t take anything.
“No, not really.” TO said, “We should just have something for formal events… Shouldn’t we?”
She glanced aside. “I guess? I wouldn’t know.” She looked around. “I don’t go to fancy events enough to warrant having an outfit, just in case. But I am going to a party later this week.” She flushed, and grinned at TO, “I’m going to an art show, actually.”
“Oh!” TO’s ears perked up. “You’re an artist then?”
Her face turned bright red, her tail flicked at the end of her chair, “Oh no! No no no! I’m not… not the artist! I mean, I’m.. I dabble a little! But my work isn’t at the show or anything!” She laughed and started fiddling with the long coil of braid that was sitting in her lap. “I know someone whose work is going to be there, and they invited me. I’ve never been to an art show like this before, so I’m very lucky!” She pulled out a small canvas pouch from the coiled braids on her lap and retrieved a communicator; older than the original model for TOs, with several deep scratches on the back, “Would you like to see some of the work that will be on display?” She asked.
“Sure?” TO was a little thrown now; she had been timid and quiet before, but suddenly she was talking fast, her dialect coming out a little more strongly from the careful, standard common that TO was used to hearing so far.
They took the moment while she was fiddling with her communicator and pointed the camera of their own communicator at her. Several alerts came up to show the basic information; She was part of a race called Delsapian, a race that used to live on a planet a little further out in the solar system. Through King Decon’s optimization of the galaxy, the planet was changed from a civilian location to a mining colony and most of the civilians were relocated over time to Arkane.
Lendulin was her name, and she thankfully had no alerts coming up at first glance.
“Here!” she said as she held out her communicator for TO to see the screen. There were some pictures of landscapes, detailed architectural paintings and some breathtaking iridescent paintings that seemed oddly familiar to TO. They looked at one in particular, showing a striking pale figure in a multicolored gown, and suddenly realized why it looked familiar to them. They glanced up, looked at the walls in the store and saw the same picture with the same distinct brushstrokes, the strange iridescence, the same style of striking figures and features.
“You noticed!” Lendulin said, “That’s why I came here even though I don’t normally come this far inland…” She gave a sheepish smile as she gestured to her fin, “My...well, My friend’s art is actually on display here. They did all the paintings for this shop, and their work is being put on display… I thought it’d be nice to have a dress inspired by one painting that wasn’t commissioned for here.” She took the communicator back and pulled up a different picture for TO to see; this one had a woman standing along the shoreline, the water draping up and forming a dress around her form.
“Is this painting going to be on display?” TO asked, gazing at the picture. They wanted to see it in person. They wanted to take DH to see it.
“Oh, no it won’t be.” She said as she sadly took the phone back, “The themes and motifs in it aren’t to the Arkanian liking… but it’d be nice if it got some representation at the show, wouldn’t it be? It’s a beautiful piece, and Mr. Celesto is the best; I think he’s the only one who might do it justice.”
“-I can see you show excellent taste, and you already have a good eye for color.” Celesto’s voice rang out as he and DH approached from the back once more. “With your ideas and my expertise, you’ll have a gown like none other. The ideas you have for Tio are exquisite. With some alterations, I can-” He fell silent as he caught sight of Lendulin. His eyes flickered along the length of her braid, down the shells of her dress, and finally lingered on her long tail. He gave a big, wide smile that showed too many teeth for TO’s liking.
“And how, exactly, can I help you today, miss?” He said in a sickly sweet voice.
“Oh, you help this lovely person here.. uh-” She looked up at TO, “I didn’t catch your name-”
“There’s no need to bother my customers.” Celesto said. His smile widened, drawing up along his face a little more than TO was comfortable with. “Tell me how I can help you.”
“Oh, well…” Her voice went back to the timid voice she had when she first came in. When she started talking about the art, she had lit somehow, and seemed more animated and excited. Now, it was like that light had just drained out of her. “I was hoping to get a fitting today-”
“Unfortunately, these customers will be my last of the day. So sorry-”
“Well, that’s fine.. I could book an appointment?” She gave a small smile, “I’m not in a big rush-”
“And that brings me to my next point…” He said as he placed his hands behind his back, standing up in a stiff, formal pose. His arms were so long, he could easily clasp his opposite elbows with each hand, “I unfortunately cannot accommodate your… specific needs.” He let his eyes flick to her tail, then back up to her face, “So sorry.”
“... But I thought you said you could accommodate most anybody type…” DH said, their ears flicking forward, “You said that you could work around most anything. When I showed you my feet even-”
“Absolutely right! Most body types.. I unfortunately won’t be able to help this… lovely lady.”
Lendulin leaned forward in her chair. “You could even just make it as though it were for a legged person!” She said, You can just drape it over the tail-”
“And the moment you get into the water, you’ll ruin the dress.”
“OH! Oh, I won’t be swimming in it. I’ve been invited to the Summer Art Gala, and I wanted a nice dress for that.”
“Oh, you have, have you?”
“Yes, and uh-” She wheeled her chair forward towards Celesto, who took a step back, “I even have the dress concept here. I don’t know anyone else who could make this…” She brought up the picture she had been showing TO, and held it up for Celesto. He leaned forward, and for just a second, a smug look flickered over his face before he shot her a glare.
“Now, I’d know Mr. Venturi’s work anywhere.” Celesto said, “And I assure you, he’d not appreciate some… well, just some person coming in and asking me to copy his work in any format!”
There was when there was a flare in her eyes; a moment of anger quickly squashed. “I promise, he’s given me expression permission to have this made for my specifications.” She said, her voice quiet, and taking on a similar falsely sweet tone to her voice.
“I’m guessing that this Mr. Venturi is your friend?” TO asked, “The one who painted all this?”
Her face took on an angry flush, but she simply nodded, “Yes; that’s him; he’s the artist.” She said, but her voice was quieter this time.
“Mr. Venturi keeps a very close-knit, tiny circle of friends.” Celesto said, “And I know you’re not in that circle. Now then.” He reached down into one of his pockets and took out a communicator of his own. “You can leave now, quietly and without upsetting my customers any more, or I will call the authorities and have you removed.”
TO turned to him, their ears pinning back, their eyes narrowing, “Hey now.” They said, “She’s not done anything worth calling the police over, she-”
“It’s fine.” She said quickly as she put her communicator away. The flush drained from her face, leaving her looking starkly pale. “It’s fine. I’ll go.”
“And I’ll be telling the artisan’s guild about you!” Celesto said, “Don’t you dare try to have Venturi’s work reproduced! If he wanted a piece done, he’d come here himself and request himself, as the artist! He’s very protective of his work!”
“Trust me.. I know.” Lendulin said, but softly enough and quietly enough that even TO and DH only just heard it before she rolled herself out of the shop.