Isabella had been out for nearly five hours, and her prolonged absence was becoming concerning. James was a little worried about Isabella's safety. James was wanted, so by association, Isabella was in some danger. Despite this, she doubted she was actually in any danger. Paul had received numerous texts during her outing. She was more concerned about her own safety. After all, she wasn't sure how much Isabella had been joking when she said she'd buy frilly clothing.

It turned out that James had good reason to worry as she spied Isabella entering the apartment. Isabella had a grin that would make even the Chester Cat envious. In her arms were half a dozen paper bags that held her bounty.

"So... what did you get?" James asked hesitantly as Isabella set the bags on the coffee table.

"Well, to start, I got the perfect thing for you," she said as she fished a plastic package from one of the bags and tossed it to James.

James caught the plastic bag and cringed as she eyed its sealed contents. "I hope you got a receipt," James said as she set the package on the coffee table. It was filled with neatly folded frilly white underwear. "Because I am never wearing these."

"Oh, don't be a baby. Those aren't even that bad." Isabella said as she began to look through the bags for something specific. "It's not like anyone is going to see them."

"I'm going to see them," James whined as she pulled a long dark grey garment out of one of the bags.

Isabella held up a ruffly frilled dress with some features she couldn't even name.

"No," James said simply as she crossed her arms. "I thought you weren't going to tease me anymore."

"This one was on sale, and it is a cute style," Isabella pouted. "The color isn't great, but it should match well with most stuff."

"Isabella," James said. "Please tell me you have actual clothing."

"Yeah, yeah. Calm down. It's not like I didn't pay for all this stuff myself or anything," Isabella said as she folded the dress and set it aside. "I'm allowed to have a little fun with it."

"Yeah, sorry," James said, looking chastised. "I'll find a way to pay you back."

"Don't worry about it," Isabella said, waving off James' comment. "Anyway, aside from the underwear and dress," Isabella said. "I got some less horrible daily wear for you."

"Hey," James said. "My stuff isn't that bad."

"Oh, they're definitely bad," Isabella said. "But I should have almost everything you need."

"Ah, really?" James asked as she started to poke through the bags. "What didn't you get?"

"Shoes mostly," Isabella said as she watched James pull out the bra she had purchased and cringed.

"Why didn't you get shoes?" James asked.

"Those are hard to size," Isabella shrugged. "We can nip out early tomorrow to pick you up something proper."

"Do I really need another pair of shoes?" James asked as she finished pulling out the assortment of clothing. "Heck, do I even need most of this?"

"So you're not going to be meeting your worst enemy to try and convince him to stop trying to kill you?" Isabella asked without a beat.

"How does that matter?" James asked.

"Looks are important," Isabella said. "Think of it like an interview, but with a guy."

"It's... yeah, okay," James groaned as she looked over a white shirt with ruffles at the top. "But I'm never going to be able to pull off being girly."

"It'll be fine," Isabella said. "So I've got a few ideas for your outfit."

"You're joking, right?" James said as she looked at the mishmash of clothing.

Isabella was, in fact, not joking.

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

"Oh, don't be such a baby," Isabella said as she walked alongside the petite woman. "You look great."

James huffed in response. It was early in the afternoon the next day as they approached the park. It was the same park Elias had indicated he wanted to meet her. She was still convinced it was a trap. In preparation, she had an Arcane Slate and a few sets of cards prepared within the small messenger bag she wore.

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Beyond the bag, she wore a ruffled white shirt and dim purple pants. Only an hour previously, she had finally managed to hide her ears and tail. However, it required her to check a mirror occasionally to keep the illusion in place. Isabella had purchased a cheap compact for the purpose. Her eyes were too tricky to hide, but she figured those were less of an issue.

"When were you supposed to meet again?" Isabella asked as they began to wander through the park.

"The card didn't say," James responded as they passed a jogger along the main footpath.

"Right, well, it's his fault if he misses you then," Isabella said as they walked. She glanced at James, who was fidgeting with the compact and glancing around as they walked.

"Calm down," Isabella said, nudging James. "Nothing bad is going to happen."

James shook her head and tucked the compact back into her bag. "I'm fine. Is it so wrong that I don't want to walk into a trap?"

"You don't know it's a trap," Isabella protested.

"I don't know that it's not a trap," James asserted, being contrary.

Isabella sighed and gestured around at the well-manicured park. "It's a public space."

James recalled the encounter with the monks and shook her head again. "That doesn't really seem to matter to people like this."

"I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding," Isabella said as she moved aside for a group of older people as they walked by.

"It's hard to misunderstand being attacked several times," James said, crossing her arms. Shortly after, the two stopped as they encountered an intersection in their path.

"So where are we going?" Isabella asked.

"I don't know. He only wrote the park's name and a date."

"Let's find a place to sit, then," Isabella said as she started down the left path back toward the parking area. "Also, you should be honest and explain the situation."

"Let's call that plan B," James said as she followed alongside Isabella. "I'd rather not end up dead or captured."

"He wouldn't have suggested this place if he was going to do that," Isabella reiterated again. They walked in silence for a while until coming across a park bench a dozen or so meters from the entrance to the park.

Isabella checked the seat before sitting down. "You shouldn't lie. It'll make things worse."

"I'm not sure it can get much worse," James said as she shook her head once again. She then signed and sat next to Isabella. "I'm not going to lie. Just omit."

Isabella laughed lightly. "That's lying."

"Oh, so sorry," James said as she threw up her hands. "Well, the sky is blue, and the grass is green." James paused and gestured at a slightly yellow spot of grass. "Except for that bit. We're sitting on a park bench, and I think my underwear is riding-"

"Okay, okay. I get it," Isabella said, laughing as she cut off James' tirade. "You know what I meant. Pretending you're something you're not isn't going to help."

"Who's pretending? Are the ears and tail not enough?" James asked as she checked the compact to ensure they were still hidden.

"Jaaaames," Isabella said in warning.

"What?" James said as she put the compact away again, having found no issues. "It's not like I am going to make things up. I don't have any hope of pulling that off." James shrugged. "But there's no reason to volunteer information."

The two women sat there for a while, discussing other topics as they waited. They weren't sure when or if Elias would show himself but decided to give the man a few hours.

At least, that had been the plan. However, James began to get antsy after only 40 minutes of playing on her phone. They had resorted to playing on their phones after they hit a lull in their conversation. But being alone with her thoughts for that long was fraying her nerves.

"I am going to call it," James said after putting her phone down. "If he wanted to meet me that bad, he would have been waiting for me."

"Maybe he expected you to find him?" Isabella said, not looking away from her phone. "I mean, he is a guy."

"What's that supposed to mean?" James said defensively.

"Never mind," Isabella said as she looked over to James. "I didn't mean any offense."

James sighed as she stood up and brushed the back of her pants free from grime. She felt her tail and was satisfied it was likewise unmarred before she looked around the area. "I guess we could do a circuit of the park."

"He might have already come and gone," Isabella said, standing up as well.

"That or he doesn't recognize me," James said as she gestured at herself. "I did get my hair cut, got new clothing, and have makeup forced upon me."

"Hid your ears and tail," Isabella added.

"That too," James said as she glanced around.

"Maybe... you should show them for a bit?" Isabella suggested.

"Uhm... not sure if that's a good idea," James said, looking back at Isabella. "They got me into a lot of trouble before."

"It's fine. Public place, remember?" Isabella coaxed. "Worst case, people will think you're cosplaying."

"That's almost worse," James said but then sighed. "Okay, it's not. But I was never the cosplay type. I can't deal with the attention."

"I'll play defense," Isabella said. "Now make yourself foxy."

James grumbled but released the magic hiding her extra features from view and sat on the bench again. "There, happy?"

"Yep," Isabella said as she pet James on the head. "Super cute."

"Stop that," James said as she batted Isabella's questing hands away. "It's weird."

James sat there feeling like an idiot for nearly five minutes. She was about to get up to search when a voice sounded behind her, almost causing James to jump out of her skin.

"You were very well hidden," the voice said quietly behind her. James' ears turned towards the sound, followed soon after by her head. But there was nothing there.

"You okay?" Isabella asked as she watched the startled fox woman.

"Yeah, there was a voice," James said as she stood back up, staring in that direction.

Elias appeared from behind a tree far too thin to have hidden him, wearing the same long coat as before. He began approaching them.

"Calm down," Isabella said as she pat James on the back. "Act natural."

"Easy for you to say," James grumbled as her doom approached.