fandomtownies | Pixie Dust, Tuesday

Blackheart put out the requisite sign while he wandered about in search of a new coat.

After telephoning Annette, Beauty walked down into town and stepped hesitantly through the door of the shop. Hopefully Annette would be along soon and she could get this experience over with. In the meantime, she was boggling a bit at the clothes. And realizing how strange her own outfit must seem.

Annette showed up, pocketbook dangling off her forearm and she found Beauty almost right away. "Hi! I hope you haven't been waiting too long?"

"Oh no, not very long at all." Beauty looked very relieved that Annette was there. "You don't know how much appreciate this, Annette. I'm...horrible at this sort of thing."

"Oh, I love shopping so no worries at all, Beauty," Annette smiled warmly. "I heard about your date on the radio. Are you excited? And come here, let's head over to the formals..."

Beauty blushed. She'd heard the radio too, and realized how it had sounded. Hopefully A.J. wouldn't be upset about that. "It's just friends," she said, feeling as though that was an important point to make. "It isn't like...a courting sort of date. Just friendly."

Nodding vigorously, she made it quite plain that despite not having much confidence in her shopping abilities, Beauty was indeed excited. "I've never been asked to a party before."

"But relationships always start out as friends, Beauty. Dick and I, oh my goodness, when we first met? I loved him right away because he was so funny and we had fun together. He made me laugh and feel good. I'll never forget when he asked me out, you know, to be his girlfriend? It was so great," Annette beamed and hiked the collar of her blouse up a bit higher. No need to flaunt any love bites...

"A.J., well, he is so nice and friendly and funny, and I know you will have a great time with him because he is an excellent dance partner." Annette started looking over gowns. "Do you have a color preference and what? You've never been asked out before? Well, that's a shame!" She laughed. "This party is going to be one you'll remember forever then!"

"I'm quite happy being just friends," Beauty insisted. Considering that she'd never had any friends outside of her own sisters before -- one could hardly count Greatheart -- and the debacle that had been Ferdy trying to kiss her at Hope's wedding...nope, 'just friends' sounded about perfect.

"I don't know about colors. I guess...what looks good with mousy brown hair? My sister Hope has dark hair, and she looks beautiful in pink." Beauty's tone was kind of doubtful, though. She wasn't sure she was the pink type.

Annette smiled. "Friends are the most fun, Beauty," she said softly, trailing her fingers over a very fine gown.

"Pink is a lovely color and your hair is hardly mousy. The day of Homecoming, we could always pamper ourselves at the spa - get our toes and nails done. Our hair too. I mean I am going but if you would like to join me, I would love your company."

Beauty gave Annette a look that basically said she knew very well what kind of hair she had, and as it wasn't Grace's buttery gold or Hope's lustrous chestnut, it was therefore mousy.

"What's a spa? And what do they do to your toes?" She eyed the gown, wrinkling her nose at the fact that it was, indeed, pink. And no matter how nice a color pink was, she wasn't going to wear it. "Oh God, I'll have to do up my hair..."

Annette just winked at Beauty and bounced around in that way of hers.

"They soak your feet and it feels so good and they will paint your toenails for you - are you wearing open toed heels or do you know yet? Anyway, we can have our toenails and fingernails match in color. Beauty, have you never worn polish upon your nails? And don't worry about your hair, the salon will do it up all pretty for you."

"I...I don't know. The only shoes I have are..." She looked down at her feet. "Not appropriate for formal wear. Do you think I should do that? With my toes? The salon will really do my hair?"

Well, that was a relief. Beauty had helped her sisters often enough, but she doubted she could manage anything on her own hair that wouldn't look like small animals were nesting in it.

"Where are the top parts to all these dresses?" she asked, looking through the racks and realizing that every single dress had either ribbon-thin straps to hold up the top...or nothing above the bustline at all.

"Of course the will!" Annette said with a touch of perkiness in her tone. "And..." she looked down at Beauty's shoes. "You need shoes. Heels. Is money an issue here?"

Annette blinked and gave her a curious look. "The tops? But these are the dresses. I have an idea, why don't you pick a couple out and try them on? Blue would be beautiful on you. Either a royal or baby, also a green or yellow..."

"My father sent me some spending money, so I think I have enough for the dress and shoes, if I'm not too extravagant."

Beauty gave Annette an incredulous look. "But these aren't any more than just shifts!" she exclaimed, holding one up against her and boggling at the fact that the skirt barely brushed her knees. "No yellow," she added. No reason really ~~other than not wanting to look like a Disney character~~. She just didn't want yellow.

"Then the spa and salon will be on me and I insist, Beauty!" Annette declared and continued looking through gowns.

"Shifts? Beauty," Annette edged closer to her and smiled. "You must get with the times. These gowns are beautiful and will look beautiful on you. And okay, no yellow ~~cause mun is wicked and couldn't help but mention yellow teehee!~~. Pick out a dress and color you like and I will help you try it on."

Beauty was hesitant to accept Annette's offer, but she really did like the idea of someone else doing her hair. And if painted nails were the fashion, she supposed she should do that too.

"All right, that's very kind of you, Annette. But you have to promise to let me treat you someday in return."

She looked skeptically at the dresses, which seemed to have greatly skimped on the amount of fabric in them. "I like green. Isn't there something that might cover more of my legs than that?"

"I promise and besides, you've already let me ride Greatheart. I would love to get to do that again? Maybe after Homecoming?"

Annette hmmm'ed. "Well, there are long gowns as well, Beauty. My own is long but split up the middle," she said. It really was gorgeous, thinking of the gown that was made just for her. "It just depends on what you like."

"You can ride Greatheart any time you like, Annette. Of course we can go riding together again after Homecoming." Beauty was reminded that she needed to drag A.J. down to the stables soon to meet Greatheart, and for some reason blushed a little and fixed her attention on the dresses again.

"I'd like something that doesn't show so much skin, please, Annette. I just...women don't wear skirts that leave their legs showing. I'd feel uncomfortable."

Annette noticed the blushing but didn't comment on it. She had no idea what it could be for. "I would love that! Riding is one of my all time favorite things to do."

She nodded and began rifling through the gowns, glad to see that the green were basically together. "Oh, now here is one, Beauty. It is long with no splits that I can see but the straps are tiny...and there are shiny little beads over the bodice...look, what do you think?"

Beauty nodded slowly. "It's pretty. The beads are nice, not too fussy. I suppose I could try on a couple of things like that."

She wandered up and down the racks, thinking maybe if she found a shawl or something, that might make the lack of sleeves not so bad. At least her skin had cleared nicely with all the sun she'd gotten over the summer, and chopping wood have given her an athletic sort of build.

"What do you think of this one (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/danaedark/FH%20Beauty/814f63a228074a3afda3279e9aa801c3.jpg)?" she asked hesitantly, pulling a dress from the rack.

"Oh, it's so elegant, Beauty. Very nice," Annette agreed.

(so sorry! shopping took much longer than I anticipated.)

"I...guess I could try this one on? And the beaded one? If you really think they're good choices." Beauty was starting to lose touch with the excitement she'd felt earlier, as it was replaced by anxiety. "I suppose it doesn't really matter what I look like. I mean, people are used to seeing me looking like this, so anything would have to be an improvement."

[ooc: No worries!]

Annette moved closer to Beauty and reached a hand out to lay gently on her forearm. "Beauty is what lies within not what you wear on your skin or how dressed up your hair is. From the time I have spent with you, I can honestly tell you that I think you are an incredibly beautiful girl. For one night this weekend, we get to doll ourselves up and feel glamorous for our dates but more importanly for ourselves because it makes us feel pretty. Or at least it does me. I like you, and I imagine A.J. likes you else he wouldn't have asked you to go with him." She smiled kindly. "Please don't worry; feel good inside. When you have that gown on you'll see; you'll shine, I'm certain of it."

Beauty stopped her fussing and gazed at Annette while the other girl spoke, a warm (if somewhat sheepish) smile growing on her face. Then she hugged Annette, quickly, and nodded.

"You're right, and usually I'm the first one to make an argument like that. I'm letting this get my mind all...fuzzled. A.J.'s my friend, and he won't care if I'm not some kind of amazing beauty, so long as I enjoy myself." She nodded again, decisively, and then took her dresses into the changing room.

Annette bounced, feeling good that she made Beauty feel good. "I want to see when you come out!"

"Oh my God, Annette, you can see my shoulders!" Beauty exclaimed, from behind the door.

That was...an awful lot of shoulder. But the dress fit surprisingly well. She kind of even had a figure.

"All right, but I want you to tell me truthfully if I look awful," she said, coming hesitantly back out into the store.

"Ohh! Yummy!" Was Annette's reply.

She waited for Beauty to come out and when she did, her eyes widened. "Omigod, that is so gorgeous on you!"

Beauty was really nervous, and she bounced a bit in place as Annette looked over the dress. "Do you mean it? You don't think it's too...you know, um..."

She waved a hand at all the skin she was showing up top. "Maybe...maybe I should find a shawl or something."

"No, Beauty! It looks beautiful just like that. I swear it does. I mean, if you want to wear a shawl, you can... but...usually we don't with gowns like these."

Beauty nodded uncertainly, although she wasn't completely convinced that she might not get one anyway. She'd have to see. Maybe after she had her hair done and everything, she'd feel less naked and more just fashionable.

"Then I think I'll get this one, Annette, if you really think it looks good. It's...it's sort of pretty, isn't it? And yours has a long skirt too?"

"It's very pretty and I think long gowns are more in fashion for this time of year, Beauty. I think you are going to wow A.J."

Smoothing her hands over the front of the dress, Beauty was starting to feel like maybe she could pull this off after all. She blushed again at Annette's statement, and ducked her head to hide her face behind her hair. "Oh, I'm sure he'll be too nice to care how I look. I just don't want to look foolish, is all."

But it was a nice feeling to think that she might be able to 'wow' someone. A.J. Someone.

"I'd better change, and get my shoes. Annette, I owe you so much for helping me with this. You're a saint."

"Trust me, A.J. will notice," Annette said and ducked her head as well. She didn't really need to think about that. It didn't bother her, not really. A.J. was a great friend and that is what she wanted.

"You don't owe me anything, Beauty. I'm your friend and friends are here for each other. I've enjoyed myself."

"Well, I hope if there's ever anything I can help you with, you'll let me," Beauty insisted, ducking quickly back into the changing room. She emerged shortly, feeling a little drained, as though she'd been doing chores instead of just shopping for a dress.

"If...the offer is still open? I think I would really like to do that spa thing with you."

"Oh yes! I will book your appointment with mine and we'll go that morning. How does that sound?"

"I think it sounds like a very good idea to give me something to do other than pace around the room and drive poor Adah mad," Beauty laughed. "And keep me from going out riding and not getting back until the very last minute, and having to go to Homecoming looking like I just mucked out stalls."

She picked out a pair of shoes that fit and looked as though she wouldn't kill herself dancing in them, and paid for all of it, surprised to get a little bit back in change. "Well, there's my milkshake money for the week, she said with a grin.

Annette giggled. "Yes, I agree with all of that. Besides, the pampering will have us feeling ready for the world come that evening."

She snickered. "You just remember, the spa is on me!"

"That sounds nice, because right now I feel like crawling into my closet with Virgil and not coming back out until next week."

Beauty was...mostly kidding.

"Well, I think I might have enough left here to get one foot's worth of nails painted," she laughed, counting through her change. "So I suppose I'll have to give in and let you pay for the spa. Because I'm pretty sure that would just look silly."

"Whose Virgil?" Annette asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yes, it would look silly," she laughed. "It's a done deal."

Beauty looked at Annette like she wasn't sure what the girl was asking for a moment. Then it hit her, and she burst into laughter. "He's a Greek poet. Although I prefer Sophocles, myself. I guess that probably sounded strange, didn't it?"

Did they not even teach the Greeks in school anymore? Her tutors would be appalled.

"I'm going to take this straight back to my room and put it in the back of my closet where it can't get wrinkled and stained," she said. "And I am going to think of a way to thank you, Annette. I'm stubborn about things."

"Oh. Of course," Okay, Annette felt really dumb and his her pink cheeks by looking out the store window.

"Thank me by letting me spend a whole day with you and Greatheart."

"Annette, my sisters never had any interest in old dead poets either," Beauty said. "Don't feel bad, please. I know lots about Greek poetry and nothing about picking out a decent dress."

She was surprised by Annette's request, but pleasantly so. "If that's what you'd like, Annette, then that's what we'll do."

She smiled, "Thank you."

"Oh yes, it's exactly what I would like to do!"

He's actually out and about the store for once! Quick, grab him and ask for ~~a new coat~~ assistance picking clothing!

This was never posted in the dorms comm. You were seeing things. It never happened. *waves hands about mystically*

I work in the evening, as per the norm, but if you catch me in the morning, are not the sort to sleep at night, or done mind a little slowplay, then feel free to ping into the interactive thread. Likewise, if you need anything in particular, ping me down here and let me know.

Pixie Dust, Tuesday

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Shopping: Annoy Blackheart

OOC!