Cinnamon Bun Chapter Three Hundred and Seventy-Three - Dress-Up Games

Chapter Three Hundred and Seventy-Three - Dress-Up Gas

I noticed Awen fixated on her copy of our team photo as we walked along. She was staring at the image, her expression sothing I couldnt quite read while her thumb ran up and down the edge, careful not to rub against any of the smiling faces on the photograph.

Are you okay? I asked, voice pitched low so that I wouldnt disturb the others.

Caprica, Amaryllis, and Calamity were in the middle of a spirited argunt about whether or not eating rodents was okay. Calamity and--surprisingly--Caprica both seed to agree that the occasional mouse was a fine snack while Amaryllis disagreed quite sternly.

Awen looked up, then her expression changed, becoming a shy little smile. Yeah, she said.

Are you sure? I asked. I only had to move my arms up a tiny bit for her to walk right into a hug. You looked... I dont know.

Awen booped her head against my shoulder, and soon we had to break apart the hug because walking-hugs were an advanced-level hug tactic and it wasnt easy to keep up. Its okay. I was just... this is a really nice painting.

Photograph, I corrected softly. And yeah, it is! Were all real smiley. Did you see the expression on the elfs face when we didnt just stand there all gloomy and dour?

My cheeks hurt from holding the smile, Awen admitted.

Ah, but it was worth it, yeah?

She bobbed her head in a nod. Yes. A lot of things have been worth it lately. She looked at the photo one last ti, then carefully tucked it into the envelope it ca in and placed it in her bag. When she looked back my way, there wasnt any shyness in her smile. Thanks, Broccoli.

Huh?

Awa, guys, I dont think well find any mice to eat here, um, so maybe it doesnt matter? Awen said as she walked around and towards our other friends, putting an end to their argunt as she did so.

Not to be left out, I skipped over to my friends and grabbed the nearest two--which happened to be Amaryllis and Calamity--from behind for a quick hug. Yeah! If we find any mice then well see what they taste like, okay? Unless theyre cute talking mice. Those well make friends with.

Ergency ration friends? Calamity asked. He licked his lips.

No, I said chastisingly. Friends dont eat friends.

Says you, he shot back. Bunnies are part of a cats diet, you know. Roasted on an open fla, maybe with so spices. Tasty!

We just ate, why are we talking about food again? Caprica asked.

Because explorers think with their stomachs, Awen said. At least, my uncle used to say that a lot of his adventures happened because of his lower brain, so thats what I think he ant. She nodded.

Amaryllis smacked herself in the face with a wing. World, why, she muttered.

What? I asked her.

Never you mind, she said. Look, clothes.

I turned, following her pointing talon to a store across the hall from us. It was actually quite large, one of the bigger stores wed crossed, and the interior was filled with mannequins and racks upon racks of clothes. The sign at the front nad the place Every Body Needs Clothes and it seed as if they specialised in clothes for every body type and species. Oh, lets go!

Yes, you and Awen and Caprica and Calamity... wait, all of you except for need clothes, Amaryllis said. Why am I surrounded by people who only have one outfit?

I have at least two, I said.

I have a large wardrobe, Caprica said.

Not on the Beaver you dont, Amaryllis said. And Broccoli, one set of adventuring clothes and one nice suit for special events doesnt count as a full wardrobe.

I shrugged. You dont need to convince ! Co on, I wanna play dress-up with unlimited funds!

Unlimited-- Broccoli, dont waste all of our money on pretty clothes. No more than a dozen gold each. Ten, even! Amaryllis said as she ran after .

Her budget turned out to be really generous though. Most clothes here were only a few coppers, with the much nicer things priced in silver. The Stormtower economy seed to be booming if all of its stuff was priced so cheap. Or sothing like that, I wasnt an economist. In fact, at the mont I was the opposite, a consur.

Who do we shop for first? I asked.

Calamity needs it most, Caprica said. He looks like a ruffian.

But I want to look like a ruffian, Calamity said.

In that case, youve succeeded in a spectacular way, she said.

I clapped my hands. Ruffian chic!

Thats not a thing, Broccoli, Amaryllis said.

It could be, Awen suggested.

We ended up scrounging for all sorts of things across the store, with more and more clothes piling up onto Calamitys outstretched arms until we could barely see the tips of his ears over the pile.

Then we shoved Calamity into so changing booths and giggled while he cursed and stumbled around inside. He ca out with various outfits, all of which we nixed, denied, or agreed with him that they just didnt suit him. Formal didnt work on Calamity. Putting him in a nice suit left him looking like soone playing dress up in their dads clothes, and he didnt look comfortable.

In the end though, he found sothing that he liked.

You cant wear a vest and a sleeveless leather jacket, Caprica said.

Why not? Amaryllis asked. It leaves his wings... arms, free.

Yeah, check out my cannons! Calamity brought his arms up and flexed. He did have rather bulgy muscles on his upper arms. Probably from using a bow so much, that had to require a lot of upper body strength.

His overall outfit was fairly simple, but clean. A short sleeve button up shirt, a little blue tie around the neck with a black vest over his shirt. And atop all of that, a beige leather coat, without sleeves.

He topped that with a white cowboy hat--with ear holes--and a pair of white pants made of a tough, denim-like material.

If it wasnt for my Cleaning I might have suggested that he forgo using so much white, but that was fine.

Whos next? I asked.

Awa, Awen awad, and so she was picked to be next. We did the sa thing, pulling her across the store and showing her all sorts of outfits. It was easy to shop for Awen. If sothing was too much, her face would go red, and if she liked it she would give a little nod.

In the end, we pushed her into the changing room with only a few items. She stepped out of it wearing a blue dress and a nice leather jacket. The only problem was...

Wow, Amaryllis said. Thats... a very short skirt and a lot of leg.

Ah, Awen said. She tugged the hem down, which didnt do much.

If you want, we can go back to that picture place. Send Rose sothing to rember you by, Amaryllis teased.

Awen spun and ran back into the changing room and only ca out ten minutes later, her blush significantly less incandescent. She had a nice, rather modest dress on, though shed kept the jacket. It had pockets, after all.

My turn! I cheered.

My friends seed to make a point of dragging all over the store, deliberately suggesting the most absurd outfits they could, but the joke was on them. I loved spending ti with my friends, even if it ant playing the part of the doll.

Broccoli, I want to show you sothing, Amaryllis said. Next to her, Caprica was nodding seriously. Then unfolded a pair of pants. These, my dear Broccoli, are pants.

Uh, I said.

Theyve very practical, Caprica went on. See, theyre like two skirts, but together.

I know what pants are? I tried.

Amaryllis huffed a sort of... I dont believe you huff. Well see about that.

I was shoved into the changing room with a lot of outfits, and then I spent the next while trying things on and stepping out to see what worked and what didnt. Of course, my friends made take my beard off after the first outfit, but I vowed to put it back on after! So of the stuff was... not as modest as I was used to, and after stepping out with a shirt that exposed my tummy and rather tight shorts, I found that Awen was having a hard ti breathing. She was also covering Calamitys face with her arm.

Amaryllis pushed back into the changing room, and I looked over everything until I found sothing I thought would be comfy. A nice teal sweater with so vertical lines, a clean button-up shirt, and so pants with flared legs. They reminded a little of my moms bell-bottoms.

Oh, that works, Amaryllis said as I stepped out.

Caprica nodded. Very comfortable.

I grinned. Then Ill take it! I said.