Apr 08 15:09:43 108 PA - Shopping Spree for a Young Lady
From Chronicles
Apr 08 15:09:43 108 PA.
RIVER WALK SOUTH
Another late night, and Gabriel is leading Bella over from the Silver Fork, across the still-crowded Main Street, and into the commercial area of the beautiful River Walk. The rain clouds from earlier have blown away, leaving a clear crescent Moon and stars in a sky so clear that they don't even twinkle. If the street lamps for the late night tourists along the River Walk were to be doused, one could probably see the beauty of the Milky Way's edge itself. Past the location of AAA Arms and Armor is a bookstore, and then a small, yet still well-lit clothing store with a fancy wood-and-neon sign declaring itself to be, "Hubba Hubba Hats, Hosiery and Everything in Between for the Discerning Lady." Sure, it's a long name, but it may be accurate. Gabriel stops near the entry and with a smile waves a hand toward it. "Told ya," he says to Bella.
He did tell her. It's a long name, but maybe it needs one. Bella eyes the front when he points it out. "Everytin' between? Sounds like maybe they got't all. That's good." It's been awhile since she had different clothes. Even longer since she had anything almost new.
"So what do you think? Do a little browsing? They really do seem to have women covered from top to bottom. As in feet, not bottom. Well, of course, bottom too." Gabriel blushes slightly! "You know what I mean." He reaches over and opens the door for Bella, brushing an inviting arm toward the warm inside. Of course, warm is relative. "Shall we?"
"Sure. 'N they better cover bottoms." There's a smirk peeking out from under her hood. "Not gonna have my ass hangin' out. Less I want 't ta be." She could poke him about the blushing. Bella doesn't. She just walks inside.
Gabriel smiles and follows Bella inside. It's brightly lit, with soft yet upbeat music playing. It's larger on the inside than it appears from without. As per fashion, the clothes - of which, yes, everything is covered - are classy for all ages, shapes, and sizes. Ranging from work clothes, to everyday fashion and even on into the fancy club gear - and beyond - Hubba Hubba truly does have everything. There are two attractive women, probably early twenties or very late teens operating the floor, even at this hour. One looks externally to be completely human, the other has a slightly bluish-tinge to her skin. Both are dressed perfectly for their roles, and ready to help, approaching Bella with smiles and a good, "Hello, I'm Amy, this is Francine, how can we help you tonight?"
Bella starts looking. Just around at what's easy to see. Then helpers show up. They get hood pointed at them. "Lookin' fer somethin ta wear." Bella's already covered. Literally. Maybe too much. Hands pop out of cuffs and lower her hood. "Got any good coats?" Big surprise that she starts there.
Amy, the taller, blonde human (looking, at least) girl is the first to Bella's side, and will attempt to remove the coat for her, neatly as is done in these types of nice shops. "My, your hair. Very unique. as I sad, I'm Amy, this is Francine. You are?" As she will continue to attempt to remove the ratty coat, the bluish Francine has whipped out a measuring tape, and is smiling as well. Surprisingly, they look like honest smiles as if they really enjoy what they do. Not those phony airs that people pun on at the *super* fancy places.
"Bella." She can't really use the nick that's stuck. Amy just took it away. With only a little tighten up from Bella. Then she lets it go. "Want somethin' kinda nice. Not too nice. Nothin' trashy." They get trashed quick enough. None of her clothes are new. Not drippy filthy but they ain't sparkly clean neither. The blue one's tape could maybe be half as long and still work for Bella.
Francine quietly dips down to one knee and starts taking measurements, apparently recording them away in a filing cabinet in her head. Meanwhile, Amy seems to be sizing her up. "Nice to meet you, Bella. Now let's see what we can do. You're very petite, so we have that to work with. Entire section for women your size. Do you have anything in particular in mind, so that I might be able to start you off somewhere?" It's at this point that Gabriel jumps in. "Miss Bella could use a set of work clothes, something sturdy. Two sets of casual wear, the kind of thing to wear around everyday, and last, I think something with a little pizzazz. Something to grab some attention - not too much, just a little - at clubs and so on." He pauses for a moment before finalizing his suggestions. "One pair of your basic sneakers, and something a little dressy. Um... probably no heels though. And a trench coat." He waves toward the ratty thing that Amy is now holding. "Something that will cover up just as much, be just as sturdy, waterproof, and casual." Amy listens intently, then gives Bella a big, bright smile. "You're very lucky, most fathers don't like to go shopping with their daughters."
Bella sizes up the one sizing her up. "Prolly somethin' ta go under alla that too." Shirt and pants ain't the only things that ain't new. She looks at Gabriel and smirks. "Yeah. No big pointy heels. Don't wanna be fallin all over. Yer the best. Pops."
Gabriel smirks himself, and blushes a little bit, though even that little bit is pretty obvious in the well-lit store. Amy confirms, "Of course, we can get you some proper undergarments. Why don't we start with the more boring, and work our way up to the fun?" Francine is already across the store, waving the trio in her direction. Amy would intend to put a gently leading hand on Bella's arm - because that's the way they do it - to help guide her over. "Alright, now working gear, huh? What kind of work do you do? Depending on what you do, it'll help me suggest things. Big difference between, say, being a mercenary, or a bricklayer, or a sculptor."
"Do lotsa stuff." Makes it real hard to pin down. Even for Bella. "Ain' really a merc. But whaddaya pick out for 'em?" Leaving it to the experts sounds good. Somewhere to start anyways.
Amy eventually gets over to Francine, who's pulling various bits of clothing off of the rack. Amy picks them from her and explains. "Okay, all of these should be close to your size, and of course we'll tailor whatever you decide to buy. If you're more of a miscellaneous-job kind of woman, something like these overalls would be good you can see that they're jeans, obviously. Very tough weave." She yanks on it a bit as if for proof. "You can get them dirty, beat them up on the knees, drop in tools, and they'll last you a very long time. Obviously you'll want to put some kind of shirt under it. Without knowing more, I can't really help with more details, but probably just a cotton T-shirt, maybe something long that goes to the wrists. Helps that nice skin of yours from getting scratched. Alternatively -" she takes a simple pair of jeans from Francine "- your basic jeans and a shirt. Only real difference is the overalls come with the built-in suspenders, but the jeans will need some kind of belt." Gabriel is still catching up, having stalled to look at a blouse.
Bella eyes the overalls. Then the jeans. The second one gets the finger point. "Those. Belts're easy. So're shirts." She's already a stick. Don't need to be a stick with baggy stuff to make it worse. "Somethin't'll lasta long time's good."
At this point, Gabriel has moved into the area. "Jeans are good, and yeah, you don't need much fancy for a work belt." Amy asks, "Do you have a favorite color? Or perhaps a design? We should probably actually get you two shirts, so you can swap and always have a clean one." Francine is now holding out a veritable rainbow of color and design, all in long-sleeved and sturdy cotton shirts. "Would you like to choose some, and we'll put them aside for now?" asks Amy.
"That 'n that're good." Bella looks over the choices. She even picks out the super duper colorful ones. A black and gray. It's for work so she's got an excuse. Maybe the not-work stuff'll be more bright.
Amy smiles. "Very neutral, good choice for work. Even these days women can't be too shiny at work. We'll just put these up at the counter for you." She nods to Francine, who hurries back to Bella, takes what may be final measurements, and walks up to the counter. Gabriel offers, "Good start," and Amy nods, leading the two of them back toward the center of the store, where clothes are arranged on circular racks. "Casual, casual is fun. There's *so* much you can do with casual," Amy says in a lilting voice. As she gently and obviously unconsciously eases her palms against each other, Gabriel offers his own suggestion. "Probably just some nice slacks, Bella isn't really an everyday skirt-wearing young lady. Unless I'm making assumptions?" Bella's 'dad' looks at her for what is probably obvious confirmation. Amy is already moving. "Well, I'm not going to let you out of here without at least making you look at some color. You can go with some nice warm colors that will accent your skin tone, and have a little fun with an easy blouse." She's pulling clothing off of the racks as she talks, and pulling out exactly what she's saying.
Bella ain't nearly as excited as Amy. But she is still looking at things. Interested too. Maybe. She grins at Gabriel. "Nothin' bad 'bout a li'l black dress 'r a tight li'l skirt." Mostly. "'Cept I ain' gotta lotta ass ta shake 'n nothin' ta holda top of 't up."
Gabriel grins at that, but suggests, "Perhaps, but these are probably better for everyday wear, wouldn't you think? Unless you want to attract more attention daily than I think you want to?" Amy is looking between the two, possibly a little off her game at the sudden change of opinion. Still, she has a beautiful selection of nicely toned pants and fun, colorful blouses to go with them. Meanwhile on the racks sit a wide variety of other types of clothing that could be selected, though Amy hasn't yet particularly chosen them for Bella's inspection.
The tops get eyed. The pants too. Just not so much. "Kinda like that one." Bella even picks some color this time. Sort of. It's white so that's still brighter than the other ones. That one's maybe more clingy than some of 'em, too. Not like it's gonna make her look fat. Then Bella turns and walks a little bit away. Almost straight to the skirts. She gets a little held up at some leather-looking things. There's even pants in there.
Gabriel catches Amy's eye with a little shrug and a big smile. "I hope that today's whites are easy to clean," are all that he really has to say on the issue, though he definitely follows Bella to the skirts. At a polite distance of course. After all, he isn't actually her father, and has absolutely no say in what she wants to buy, save for offering some personal suggestions that are clearly to him *only* personal suggestions. Amy places the selected pants up on a rack where they'll be remembered, then hurries over to help the tiny woman. "These are very fashionable. Much more eye-catching that the pants of course, particularly in the leathers, but still the kind of thing that's quite acceptable for everyday wear. Perhaps even a light, casual evening." She hangs back a tad, as Bella seems to have her own mind this time as to exactly what she's interested in.
"Can take a beatin' too." Cause that's maybe even more important than looking good. Bella fishes out a pair that might even be close to tight on her. That gets handed off to Amy when she gets there. Then Bella gets to the skirts. A little thumbing though. A little peering. She thinks a little and grabs a couple. Not short or tight. Long flowy things. Just heavy cloth. Not trashy even if one's black. The other's gray. Yeah. She's real big on bright 'n shiny.
Amy speaks up first. "Well, these are obviously pretty pieces. They're normally aimed at a slightly upscale casual wear, but definitely not out of any kind of range that people might think of as normal." She then suggests, "I'll put those aside for you, but just for me, would you pick out something with more of a color to it? Maybe a little softer fabric? I'm not pushing anything on you, I'd just like to hold it up and see how it looks on you." With that, she'll reach out to take the... black and gray heavy cloth skirts. Gabriel only offers, "Those are nice. Iona really liked clothes like that. Looked good on her, though she was a little bigger." At that, Amy rather waves him away. "I'm sure everything will be tried on before we tailor it."
Bella stops eyeing clothes to eye Amy. She's quiet a second. Then she shrugs. "Ya know the place better'n me. Can always pick somethin' out. Maybe I'll try it." Bella isn't pushed. Just used to what she knows. Like colors aren't so colorful in the dark. "Maybe I'll like 't too."
"Thank you, Bella, now let me look," Amy says as she moves around the skirt area. She obviously looks down into the selection, then back up at Bella... then down at the merchandise... and back up at Bella. After a few minutes, she returns with a skirt. Instead of holding it to the woman's waist, however, she holds it up toward her neck. "Now, you have a pale skin color, and I can see that you're leaning toward the darker colors. This might give you both, see?" She holds up the piece of clothing. "It's only about an inch shorter than the ones that you already picked out, but it's made of a cotton-Nylon twill, so it'll feel smoother on your legs. Plus, you can see that it's a darker forest green - it's a color, but it's darker, and I think that it compliments your skin, but also gives you something a little more 'fun' for around town." The points off to where a large, full-length mirror is standing. "Why don't you just take a peek at it." As for Gabriel, he's staying out of this one, just nodding in the parts that he agrees with.
"Eh." Bella looks over. To the mirror that's bigger 'n she is. "How's bout I jus' try 'em on? Better if somebody else's lookin anyways." Everybody's their own worst critic. Or something. She nods a little at the skirt and looks at Gabriel. A little grin. "Gonna tell me if somethin looks shitty?"
Gabriel holds up a swearing right-hand. "On my honor, if something looks shitty, I'll tell you, Miss Bella." The 'Miss Bella' part catches Amy's attention for a moment, but she quickly moves on. Moving on by gathering up the other two skirts that have been chosen, then putting a hand on Bella's back and shuffling her toward a completely enclosed changing room. Not even one of those doors where they show feet because they don't trust you. Amy opens the door for Bella, but before the tiny woman enters, suggests, "Now try to see these with a shirt, some kind of nice and easy blouse. The whole thing will look quite different than the individual parts. You know, there's a whole quote about that which I can't remember at the moment." Amy offers a light laugh at her own failure.
Bella smirks a quick one. Then she's hurried off to get dressed. "Yeah. I can mix 'n match 'em 'n stuff." The door's closed and there's shuffling and rustling. She just starts at the top of the pile. After a bit she comes out. First thing's the fancy stuff. All colorful. The white blouse makes her look a bit less pale. Maybe. The long green skirt probably don't but there's just a li'l sliver of legs showing. Her boots cover up the rest. Bella's still wearing the smirk too.
The older fellow gives a thumbs-up. "That's actually really nice. Casual, but cute." Gabriel nods his head in - friendly - approval. Amy agrees as well, though she does take a moment to straighten out the clothes so that it puffs in the right places and tightens in the others. "I think that's a very nice combination," she says, adding, "We'll get you some shoes to go with it."
"Yeah. Maybe not fer boots." Bella picks up a foot and sticks it out a little. She looks at herself after the tightening and poofing. Bella pulls at the top. Maybe trying to make it a li'l more snug. Where she thinks it oughtta be. "Ain' bad. Li'l breezy." She fiddles with the skirt. Smirks at Amy. "Ain' got all fancied up inna while."
Amy nods again, fluffs the blouse again.. but says, "We'll tailor it however you like, though I will try to get you into a little more, how should I say.. 'modern' fashion?" She then pats Bella on the shoulder. "If you want to wear that, that's fine, if you'd like to change back before we keep going, that's fine too, whatever you'd like. I'll just put this up with the others. But you will need to pick some more blouses. I *won't* let you walk out of here with just one white blouse. I'll give you one for free before that happens." The salesgirl is very adamant about it. As for Gabriel? He nods nods again and agrees, "I looks nice, but I do think that you should leave it a little flouncy." Amy waits for Bella to change - or not - ready to helpfully lead her back to the blouses.
Bella is changing. Right after "Ok. Flouncy. 'N more shirts. Got it." She even helps with the flouncing part. By bouncing a little going back in the stripping room. There's a flash of two pale sticks with the skirt bouncing up. More rustling. Bella skips around a little in the order of things. She comes back out with the leather pants and another top. Black 'n black but they're both snug. No flouncing with those. Maybe a little jiggle and creaking. Not really trashy since she doesn't show anything. Just the outline of pretty much everything. "How's bout this? Can look't more stuff too."
"Um. One piece or the other would look good, but together it looks like you should have a man tied up, slapping him with a riding crop," states Gabriel. "So together, shitty. Separately, though could look very nice." Judging by the look on Amy's face, she probably agrees with what the man's just said. Still, she helpfully offers, "We can tailor it, if you.. decide to go that route."
"Least I know whatta wear when I go 'n do that." Bella smirks back. Then she looks down and around at herself. "Don' look so bad ta me. But maybe too much black." She'll give 'em that much. "What else we got?" It's one of those rhetorical things maybe. She's already heading back inside. Has the top half peeled off before the door's even shut. The color doesn't make her back look any more or less not tan. That's for sure.
Gabriel quickly looks away as Bella peels the top before she's properly concealed, just waiting for the creak of the door. When the tiny woman emerges, Amy hustles her back to where they'd been, offering a wide variety of mix-and-match clothes. Different skirts to go with the black leather top, different tops to go with the black leather skirt. Of course, she chooses most of them in colors or patterns, and in cuts that actually have shape to the body. Even some that she has retrieved actually enhance Bella's shape. Genuinely makes her look like she has some curves! As Amy is in the middle of explaining how mix-and-match can give you a larger variety of outfits than only a single match, Gabriel speaks. "The black skirt with the bright red top? I like that one, it's fun. Casual, but fun. Amy's right, though, you should pick a few." He smiles and nods.
Bella listens. Nods some. She even has a couple little points of her own. About the clothes. Not the ones she was trying to show off. "I like alotta 'em. Good when ya can mix things up a li'l." Crunch time. She's got to figure out what to get. Bella ain't too worried though. She shrugs and waves a hand. "Take 'em all. Lots ta go through. Last awhile 'n still be new." Now she turns a grin at Gabriel. "I pick 'nuff fer ya?"
The older man grins widely and shakes his head. "Oh, no. I told you I'd fix you up, get you all ready for the night-life, and that's what we're going to do." While Francine has come forward to take the clothing back to the counter, he says to Amy in a pleasant tone, "Miss Bella needs something really, really nice. Something classy, something fun, something eye-catching. Good for clubs and parties, fancy restaurants, just generally the best that you have that will make her look incredible." He gives a strong nod to both Amy and Bella, and Amy returns, "Oh, I can certainly do that. I've been thinking of it ever since you came in. Please, follow me." As she turns to return to the more distant wall, she waves a hand that says, 'come on.'" Gabriel just swiffs a hand in that direction, waiting to follow Bella to make sure that she goes.
"Ya did? Weren' that fancy 'nuff?" Bella thinks she got ambushed somewhere. She eyes Gabriel some. Less smirk. Maybe even a little edge. But it goes away pretty quick. He's buyin so maybe she can cut 'im some slack. "Ok. Le's see whatcha got." She goes. Led and followed. Doesn't even try and run for the door.
Amy is quite excited. "Okay, as soon as you came in, this dress just popped into my head! I think it's *really* you, Bella." She pulls out a dress from between others on a rack. She holds it with one hand by the hanger, draping the rest of it over an arm held horizontally. "You can see, it's a nice burgundy-maroon that I just know will accent your skin tone. A few little thin lines of gold lace at the wrists, neckline, waist and hem. It should fall down a few inches below your knees, and I know that the neckline is probably a little low for what you're used to, but you really should show off your skin a little. Not everyone has to be busty to have an attractive chest." The sleeves are interesting, because they're clearly extensible from full-length wrist up to mid-bicep without any awkward seams showing up. Gabriel looks at it.. stares long at Bella.. looks at it, then nods, "Yeah, I think this could look great on you, Miss Bella. Probably not your normal kind of thing, but just think about going somewhere like the Nightingale, or the Silver Fork. Catch the eyes of all the young men - in a good way. I know that *every* woman likes to look special like that from time to time." He chuckles and points at her. "Don't forget how many daughters I raised, and loved a wonderful wife."
Curious or dreading. Bella don't know which to be. Amy's excited. Gabriel's excited. Maybe Francine is too. "Huh." That's what comes out first. The rest is mostly just her eyeing the dress. "Red's a good color. Looks way too fancy fer me." She reaches out and touches the dress. Then it's a grab. "Alright. I can see how bad't's gonna be." Just like that. She tromps back into the undressing room with it.
Even as Bella is moving off, Amy follows, explaining the velvets, silks and chiffons that make up the various parts of the dress, plus the gold threading. Sounds like a very nice dress, and Gabriel agrees as Bella closes the door behind her. "Maroon is a good color for you."
This's gonna take awhile. It's a buncha pieces put together in one piece. That's why. Or cause it's a dress. A bit goes by. Then more bits. The door opens but it's just Bella's head that sticks out. "Ya sure ya wan' me ta wear this?" She's sounding pretty doubtful. Of something.
"It can't hurt to at least see it, right Miss Bella?" Gabriel ventures. Amy gestures to come out. "Come on, honey, show yourself off. I'm sure that it'll be you. Do you need me to pin it back somewhere before you come out, if it's a little too loose?"
Bella shakes her head. Must be for Amy cause she steps out of the undressing room all bright red. The dress is, that is. Bella probably looks like a china doll next to all that color. She has the sleeves in the upright and locked position. Mostly by bunching them up. The dress is a little droopy in front, but maybe that's a good thing for her. Low enough to show something sorta like cleavage. Just smaller. Bella looks smaller, too. The boots are gone. See. She has calves. And even little feet with toes.
Amy speaks first, clapping her hands - truly, too. "That's wonderful, Bella. Obviously we'll need to take it in over a couple of places, but it's really nice." She turns to Gabriel, perhaps still curious as to who he is. "What do you think." Gabriel wears a big smile. "I think it looks incredible. Never seen her look like she should have little fairy wings." Directly to Bella, "Maroon is definitely your color. I'm getting this dress for you whether you like it or not." Nod nod.
The praise is kinda nice. Bella even grins at Amy. "Really?" It's Gabriel't gets the smirk. "Really. Ain' ya worried I' m gonna fly 'way 'r somethin?" She does a little twirl to show off. Maybe more a big twirl. Ok. The dress is maybe pretty nice. But faded lime green panties kinda clash. Even with white splotch on one cheek. Or maybe that's just a big hole in 'em.
Gabriel just continues to be involved, nodding in approval. It's Amy, with perhaps both saleswoman's instincts and woman's instincts at the same time, who sees a certain look on Bella's face, and hurries over to her side, whispering in her ear, "Come one, we'll get you some undergarments appropriate for the new clothes." As she begins to move Bella off - and clearly indicating to Gabriel to stay put - she whispers even more quietly, "Will you be needing any lingerie?"
"Yeah. Understuff's good." Maybe Bella didn't know she was giving free peeks. She pads off a little with Amy and shrugs. "Don' gotta be nothin' fancy. Can be kinda nice though. Figger maybe somebody'll see it sometime. If I'm feeling like it." She looks over at the nodding guy. New smirk. "Not gonna be droolin' 'r trippin' are ya?" Bella has to poke at him a little. There's a rule somewhere.
The man - her father perhaps? - just smirks. "No drooling and tripping. Unless something goes terribly wrong, I'm never going to see them." Gabriel waves the two women off. "Go on, take care of that. I think we're actually closing in on the end of the shopping evening, Miss Bella. But yes, get some comfortable stuff for yourself." Amy seems to take it as a little bit of instruction, nodding herself, and walking the tiny woman around a corner and through a pair of blue velvet curtains. At this point, it's up to Amy and Bella to do the shopping, and honestly Gabriel probably doesn't need to know much about it.
Bella don't leave him alone long. Not like she's looking fer nothin fancy. Like she said. Long enough to look and grab a couple things is all. Maybe get an idea or a couple from Amy. Then they're back out. "So. How much takin' in 'r whatever? Gonna have ta come back later 'n get it?" She's not thinking to wear it out of the place anyways.
Gabriel doesn't make any attempt to ask about what went on behind the curtain. Instead, "I said 'close,' not 'finished.' Need those shoes. A casual pair, something like sneakers that you can just wear around - and something to go with that dress of yours." Amy nods, looking like she agrees. "Okay, Bella, since you're already wearing the dress, why don't we just get the shoes out of the way. Over here." Shuffle to another part of the store. She holds up a little black shiny pump with a low heel and a little loop to go around the ankle. "Classic style. It'll go with this dress, and anything else fancy that you get in the future. Just slip it on there, and we'll get your size." She belatedly adds, "Of course, if you'd like something else, I can find it for you."
The pump gets eyed. Peered. Bella thinks it ain' too bad though. It's black 'n not super big or pointy. Close enough to being like her boots, she guesses. Her foot goes in and the little loop gets looped. Now she's got to stand on one foot. And hold up the dress some. Just to look at it. "Guess it's Ok." So she's not a big shoes kinda girl.
A thumbs-up is given by Gabriel, and Amy moves along quickly. "Given everything else that you picked out, the casual stuff, any of this line of sneakers would work. Neutrals, sturdy, and comfortable to wear around town. But also look nice with what you picked out. Just pick out something that you like, and we'll fit them for you." Before anything can be done, Gabriel, who is currently leaning up against a wall of scarves, holds up some fingers. "Two sets of comfortable shoes, and a set of work boots. Never know when something's going to be dirty, or need a little bit of fixing." Amy nods, receiving instructions, and waving Bella back to the proper selections.
Maybe Bella's just not a FANCY shoe kinda girl. She's pretty quicky 'n picky on the other ones. Gotta good eye for it, too. She snags the ones that are all the it. Or were back in the fall. Just a li'l behind but she knows a bit. Same with the boots. Course they go great with her clothes picks. They were kinda the big thing 'bout that time, too. Maybe it's good he said just two. "I 'member when people were killin' fer these." She shows off a pair to Gabriel. Then smirks. "How many ya have ta shoot ta buy alla this anyways?"
"Let me see. I had cash on hand to start with, but I only killed one demon-thing. I was really more on the transport side of things this time," Gabriel says with an ironic smile and nod. "Never anyone who doesn't deserve it for the good of the average man. Nice choices." He nods to the boots, shoes and shiny shoes. Amy looks terribly confused as she waves Francine to gather everything that's been chosen. Perhaps because of the pregnant pause, Gabriel does actually give orders for once this evening. "Go put on one of those little casual outfits, and some of the sneakers. Almost done - we need that trench coat, I think it's pretty important to you. I mean, I know that it's really just your style."
"Uh huh. Ok." Maybe that's for his excuse. Maybe it's for the ordering around. Maybe about the coat, too. She pads to the counter full of stuff. Grabs a couple things. Then she's back in the dressing up room. Just cause she weren't wearing the dress outta here don't mean she ain' wearing something new.
Amy takes Bella by the hand over to yet another area of the store - that truly does seem to be bigger on the inside than on the outside. Strange. Gabriel follows behind. There is a line of coats, from very long to knee-length, leather to cotton, every color of the rainbow, patterns, from extravagantly frilly to... nice. Nothing boring here. The most boring they do is nice. "Do you see anything that you like?" Amy asks. Gabriel's only advice is, "Pick something that if things were like the past, you'd like to be seen walking around in the big and open parts of the city."
Bella got dressed quick. The leather pants. The white shirt. New boots. Even got somethin on that maybe she weren' wearing before. The black under the white shows through a little. Not really trashy but it's somethin' ta say 'Boobs here.' Now's the last part. Maybe the real important part, so she takes awhile. The one she picks is as long as the old one. Just closer to her size. It's even got a snap-off hood. Not so big as the old one neither. But big enough. Black but least it ain't leather. "That one."
"Nice. Try it on," Gabriel says. It's not an instruction, just more of an enthusiastic friend out buying something for another friend. Assuming that she does, Amy will fuss with it to make it look just perfect. Leaning the hood back against her shoulders just-so, tying the waistband into a neat and feminine bow, and even puffing the lower portion out so that it shows just a little leg and a bit of boot. The saleswoman asks, "There, how's that? You sure you don't want to try a color?"
Bella looks down at herself. To check things over. "Looks good ta me." She shrugs a little at Amy. Or was it Francine? Little grin in there too. "S'Ok. Guess I ain' really all colorful. Sides bright stuff ain' really bright when yer out clubbin inna dark 'n stuff." Bella eyes Gabriel. "Whatcha thinink 'bout't?"
Gabriel offers a big thumbs-up. "Nice, it's you, but you know... classy." A wink and a momentarily stuck-out tongue. "Definitely you. We'll see what we can do about the other stuff with the coat later. For now - you're going home with it. Now -" he hangs an index finger dangling from a raised palm and swirls it around. "Okay, look the other direction, and off with the coat. *Just* the coat, he emphasizes, trying to ward off what he knows is going to be coming anyway."
"Huh?" Bella don't know what he's getting at. Not at first. Then she thinks she knows what he's thinking. "Oh. Heh. If ya wanna check out my ass, Ok." She's smirking. Alot. The coat's shrugged off and she turns around. Slow even. Yep. There's ass. Not lots. Real little really. But the leather's even all clingy there too.
It's definitely not ass he's after. No, instead, a coat is draped over her, of which Amy will 'assist' her by weaving Bella's arms through the sleeves. It's not flashy, but it is shiny, and not quite bright red, but on that end of the spectrum. One black leather stripe runs from the back waist, over the shoulders, and down to the front waist. A high but foldable collar, and a fluffy hem that hugs the waist without being constrictive. Good sleeves, open on the end for hands to stick out, and obviously very waterproof. Just warm enough to be... warm enough. It's closed by four silver snaps that run down the front, and Amy makes sure that all of this is in place before she declares, "Good choice, Mr. Blaze, you're right, she does look ready for some fun. The good frolicking kind of fun." She smiles at her two customers, and Gabriel smiles back. "Nice coat, Miss Bella. I saw it while you were in the changing room. Genuine Kentucky cardinal, color-wise. Something to wear when a formal trench coat isn't needed." Of course, if she hasn't turned around, Bella probably can't see his grin. Maybe the Kentucky thing reminds her of why his speech sounds so screwy compared to everyone else?
Bella figured she had him figured. Guess she figured wrong. Course he's tricky. This coat still lets 'im check her out. "Huh." Bella ain't sure what ta think again. She eyes the coat. Touches it. "Guess it ain' so bad." She's got a smirk when she turns. "Ain't gonna keep me real dry inna rain 'n sleet 'n whatever else's fallin down though."
"That's why people carry around umbrellas if it looks like it might rain, but they don't want to go out in rain gear," Gabriel offers. He then holds out a silver cylinder and pokes a button - and an umbrella pops out, quite a large one that anyone, particularly a small person could easily shelter in. Press the button again, and the small mechanism neatly retracts itself. "Boo! No excuses." He hands it over in Bella's direction.
"Boo." Is that a tongue poking out at him? Smirking hides it quick. "Ok. I got it." She even takes the umbrella. "That alla everythin'? Sides the stuff I got't ya ain' seen yet?" That makes her grin. "Maybe I oughtta see whatcha think 'bout tha t stuff too. Later. Yer old but yer stilla guy."
Gabriel's face looks like he's pretty much satisfied with the evening's shopping, but Amy speaks up. Ash she stands, she puts a hand on Bella's shoulder. "You want any accessories? Maybe a little necklace, or some bracelets? Pants are kind of long for an anklet, but the dress isn't." Pause. "Have you ever considered getting your ears pierced? What about makeup? A little lipstick and some eye shadow?" The older man seems to smile completely noncommittally at all of that, as if he has no opinion one way or another. Perhaps for the first time all night.
Bella shakes her head at Amy. "Nah. Ain' big on jangly stuff." A hand comes up to her earlobe. "Had 'em done one time. Long while ago. Grew over. Ain't worried 'bout it." She shrugs at the rest. "If I get all fancied up maybe put something on. Don' worry 'bout it much neither."
Amy smiles at Bella, but the question isn't directed her direction. "If you're all ready, then Mr. Blaze?" Gabriel simply nods and offers one of those random barely-military salutes that doesn't come within a foot of his head. Amy nods to him.. then to Francine, who nods in return, and closes her eyes. After a few seconds, Bella should feel everything that she's wearing, and thus likely everything else that she's picked out, snugging and loosening in all the right places. Psychic tailoring? Who'd have thought.
That's diff'rent. Feels weird too. "Whoa." Bella looks at herself then Francine. Then it's over. "That was weird. But thanks?" She thinks. Maybe? Now she's looking at Gabe.
Gabriel shoots his hand out and ruffles Bella's hair before she can get away. Because he can do that. With a smile, he waves over toward the dressing room. "Why don't you put on whatever you feel like, and I'll get up the counter and pay for the clothes. They'd probably like to be paid. Unless you'd planned on running out and leaving me high and dry with these two nice ladies?" He smiles widely, then follows Amy as she does the obvious - takes him up to the counter. Apparently the prices on the clothes are in her head, and don't need any kind of fancy barcode scanning.
Bella makes a sour face at the ruffling. "Gonna getcha fer that ya know. Ain' a kid." She ain't his kid neither. She don't bother with the undressing room again. What she's got on'll work for now.
Gabriel winks, knowing that yes, somehow, he is going to pay for that. But it was worth it. It only takes a few minutes up at the counter, and he's very careful to keep the values quiet. Probably just using written numbers, nothing spoken at all perchance of unnatural hearing ability that he may be unaware of. By the time it's done, Francine has all of the clothes in neat bags, and appropriate hangers, and boxes for the boots and shoes. All of this is distributed between Bella and Gabriel himself. Mostly Gabriel, perhaps because they expect a girl's father to carry her stuff. Who knows. "Miss Bella, voila, shopping's done. You're kind of like Pinocchio now, except a real girl instead of a real boy." He smirks, somehow feral and incredibly jesting at the same time. "You ready to go, um.. wherever home is tonight and put this stuff away?" He then quickly adds, trying to ward off the inevitable, "I'm only going to deliver as a friend. No intention of staying the night, shall we say."
Maybe that's something Bella didn't really think about. She makes a thinking face. Then just a face. "Huh. Maybe ya oughtta hold onta mosta the stuff. Shiny new shit like this'd get disappeared from 'round my place real quick. Ain' got really nice neighbors. Ain' got no place ta put it neither."
A nod. "Okay, I can find a nice dry place to keep all of it. Just come on over when you want to change - but knock first, right?" Gabriel arches an eyebrow as a reminder. "Promise, when you change, you have the glade all to yourself, or at least I nail my face to the oppose wall, looking the opposite direction. C'mon." He opens the door and steps aside, calling out thanks to the saleswomen. Outside is dark, as it should be at this hour, but it's still a cool spring evening, and dry. He'll take all of the remaining bags and such from the young woman before leaving and finally calling their shopping at the River Walk shop complete.
