driftfleet | Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

So drab. Got it.

[He decide to say "fuck it" to being picky and just starts grabbing whatever he can find that is longer in length and warm. If that means she gets a holographic sheen and he thinks it's uglier than sin, so be it. It's not like Haggar has a preference. He finds a bright orange almost floor-length wrap around, a red robe with bell sleeves, and a fur-lined rich purple with silver threaded through. But he also find the holographic monstrosity, a lime green hooded thing, and a black and beige two-toned thing that couldn't decide which way it wanted its pattern to go.

He tosses cloaks he wants her to try on on the rack next to her, absently commenting on things as he goes. "Too dark," "Too scaly," "Oh god, is that an actual head??" are just some of his mutterings as he glides down the row.]

What brought you out here anyway? Curiosity or just because you're actually freezing to death in that outfit?

[Just because she doesn't have a preference doesn't mean she doesn't have some sense of class or aesthetics. She's putting up with this to an extent, mostly because she has a difficulty in caring too much and it was always better to shop with someone else, but she will keep frowning the more excessively ridiculous the cloaks become even as she tries them on anyway, either for her torment or Taako's amusement or both.

Even if he is saving her from some of the more questionable picks, by his muttering, but she is so incredibly unhappy in the holographic monstrosity, why are you like this, Taako.]

The planet is... magical. Hard to ignore a call like that, with the lack of this energy in past systems.

[The cold... doesn't really bother her anyway. She's not certain why she's feeling so... whimsical for a new look, though.]

[This is what happens when you don't give Taako any parameters other than "cloak" and "warm." He will make her suffer every ugly creation he can find that he himself can stomach looking upon. He's taken a taupe colored one with red accents out when he turns and sees that she actually put on the holographic one and bursts out laughing.]

Oh my gods! You look awful! Why would you even do that to yourself? I meant it as a joke, Nerdzilla!

Sometimes with you I cannot tell what your intention is.

[She is quick to discard that one. She needs to draw her own line for her suffering, apparently. The purple one is far more favorable of the remaining choices, except she's... tired of purple. She wears it unhappily, too.]

... perhaps... something in blue. Or a greenish blue.

[He seems to be avoiding those, but she doesn't know if it's because of her outfit or whatever other reason they might not work.]

Entertainment, always.

[Or never. His motivations are as varied as the colors in the world and just as changeable. Right now it's half and half for him - entertainment in seeing her face gain ever deeper frown lines and wear dumb outfits, and half because he can't stand watching her glower in her drab garments any longer. So 100% selfish, but whatever, that was Taako's general modus operandi even on the best of days.

He takes out a sky-blue one that ends in a hem shaped like crystals and then a darker hued one with patterns like ocean ripples on it. He hands them to her and then finds another blue-starred cloak. It's too close to one he owns though and he's not about to inadvertently twin with the space witch.]

Try these then.

[And one more: a royal blue with silver threading, bright but not eye-burning.]

You should also try to find clothes that aren't, yanno. [He gestures at what she's wearing.]

[Those cloaks at least look more reasonable at first glance, and so she abandons the other sillier ones to try them on. Of course, had she been more selective from the outset, perhaps it would have helped.

She... likes the blue colors. It feels nostalgic to her in a way that it shouldn't, really, and so she frowns for another reason, as she catches sight of herself in the sky blue, though it's not as pronounced as her others had been.

She gets a little lost in thought debating that when he speaks up again, words as slow as ever as she gives him a flat look.]

... it is on the list.

[Of things to do. Perhaps. She has credits to spend despite the expenses of the last system, perhaps aided by her willingness to try that silly candy and her ongoing name game. Most of what she owned was similar to what she was wearing now, but that was how it had always been; she had chosen a uniform look and stuck with it, and honestly did not know if she would find anything else. Hard to care.]

[The blue seems to be a hit since she isn't immediately throwing it to the floor like the rest. Although she's frowning again, she always frowns so it's not like it's a good indication of her actual displeasure. Taako rolls his eyes and then points to the racks of cloaks around them.]

We're here, might as well get fashionista advice from someone who knows how to dress themselves like they're not doing it in a dark room.

[Taako takes out another robe, a half cloak with slits for his arms and wraps it around his own shoulders to test it. Doesn't feel right, not the right weight, not enough space inside for him to sew pockets. He discards it and tosses it back onto the rack.]

While he's in a charitable mood.

[Her frowns could mean so many things. This one is less severe, her displeasure not so much with the outfit as with her own self-loathing and issues.

How hard it is to... like, things. To express that she could.]

If... the fashionista is willing to offer his advice, then I will hear him out while he is charitable enough.

[There. Did she say that correctly.]

Otherwise I may very well end up with more of the same outfits as I already possess.

[Which wouldn't do her any good, since what would be the point. She just... didn't know what she wanted. Or if she could admit to what she wanted.]

For-- [He drags a hand down his face. No, it wasn't correct, Haggar, but only because?] Who talks like that? Just say, "Yeah, Taako, you're amazing. Please help me with my terrible fashion sense" or something.

[But message received at least! Taako jerks his thumb over his shoulder.]

Buy the three blue ones - if you don't like 'em later, just regift it to someone. People here love that shit. Then come next door.

I'll meet you in the shop to the left, the one with the red dress in the window. We're going to get you out of black and drab if it kills you.

[Oh, Taako. Asking for help was such a difficult thing for her, and one would think that her archaic speech would ease up being around so many informal people consistently, but instead it had only gotten worse, turned into a bizarre sort of quirk. Another trap of her own making.]

... Thank you, Taako. I will meet you there shortly.

[Better? A start, at least. And as promised, after one last check on the cloaks before purchasing them, Haggar then heads to the indicated shop to look for him. If it killed her, indeed, but--she was here.]

[Definitely better. He gives her a two-fingered salute and heads out the door.

By the time Haggar makes her way to the next shop, Taako is waiting with a rack of clothes already picked out. He's seated in one of those slightly less than comfortable waiting room chairs that every store seems to have for people, with the rack next to him, all waiting for her by the changing area. The rack has tops and bottoms all arranged in color from reds to oranges, yellows and greens, and different shades of blue. No purple, black, or gray in sight.

As Haggar enters, a shop keep gives her a hurried hello before bringing another armful of colorful clothes by Taako who picks out two or three things, shuffling them onto the rack before sending her back for more. When he spots Haggar, he raises a hand but doesn't bother standing up, waving is wizard's hat from the chair instead.]

Over here, Gloomy Bear. I already have a bunch of stuff waiting.

[It's... an attempt.

Although she almost regrets it the moment she steps into the second store, wondering yet again why she's allowed herself to agree to this, feeling that bubble of internal conflict, wondering why she did not allow herself to cling to the familiar.

...But she remembers a conversation with Lup about habits and she did not know if all of hers were necessarily "bad", but... how much would this really help? Dress up the outside, but the same old witch.

No. Thinking like that wouldn't get her anywhere at all. So she sighs, stepping in all the way toward Taako, getting an eyeful of his selection and -- well. Frowning, as she always is because what else could she do, though of course it's for all her thoughts, really.]

... I can see that.

[How much of it was actually wearable, though, was the question. She'd at least be more cautious about it. Her eyes instinctively scan for the familiar colors but notices that they are not present. Oh boy. Well, she did ask for this.]

I got bored.

[It's been 5 minutes, Taako.

But he got bored, so there are a myriad of styles here: skirts, shirts, blouses, vogue, pants both short, long, wide-legged and skinny. There are dresses and overalls, sundresses and maxis, literally everything he could think of in every color but the ones she already wore.]

We'll get over here and figure out what you like. Don't look at the colors until later, just tell me what styles you want and I'll veto what looks bad.

[If this was what boredom could inspire in 5 minutes good thing she didn't keep him waiting any longer. Even if she's dubious when glancing at just how varied the selection even is. Even when she picked up her current set from some waystation or other, the selections hadn't been this varied.

And again: that (patient?) nudge to find something at least... favorable, but thankfully he said to ignore the colors at present, which helps her focus, eyes scrutinizing the different styles. So many of them. So many combinations. Who gets overwhelmed by a clothing store?

She takes her time flipping through styles on the rack. Maxi dress; those were more of her usual fare, so she selects an example of each just so they'd have something to work with. Blouses with long sleeves, and long skirts maybe? Anything that would work with a wrap or a cloak of some kind, she didn't like to be without that even if she wasn't hiding under her hood consistently any longer.

And this was just picking styles. And of course, she had to wait for Taako's word. Maybe she was being too picky to think of other possibilities.]

[He's flipping lazily through a nearby rack of clothes with a Mage Hand, but watches to see what she ends up pulling out. More dresses, huh? Not a pants person; good to know. Long sleeves and long skirts - noted. Once she's finished going through everything, he pushes himself up out of the chair and grabs one of the more vogue-ish tops she rejected - a long-sleeved crop top.

Now that she has some styles chosen, he points her toward the dressing rooms.]

Go try them on. I'm getting some non-eye-bleeding colors for you. Anything that doesn't fit, discard. Let me see when you got something on and I'll tell you if it's yay or nay. Oh and you're buying me a shirt in exchange. Just so you know.

[Really, some form of reasonable tunic accompanied by slim pants wouldn't be so bad or even uncomfortable. It's not like she doesn't have a figure under there. To that end, she does glance at those combinations at least once or twice, lingering over them a bit, but with one of those discernible expressions. As in: it reminds her of a look she once used to wear, but she's not sure she should try it.

So instead, still... mostly bewildered that she was going along with it but she wasn't about to quit now, she nods. She had been wondering the sort of thing he would ask for in return for all of this, so at least he was upfront about that.]

Your terms have been noted.

[Learn to talk like a normal person, Haggar? But she'll soon disappear off into the changing rooms, to first sort out whichever size even is suitable for her frame, but she's noticing immediately that all of these colors are absolutely awful.

... At least this was only to test styles, but it's hard to be satisfied. Why is the dress style that she favored only in this yellow that matches her eyes, did he do that on purpose.]

Okay, I know exactly what I'm gettin' you for Candlenights.

[A thesaurus with all the difficult or weird words blacked out with an angry marker. Learn to talk normally!!!!

While she's in the dressing room, Taako spins through the rest of the store and grabs dresses, blouses, and skirts, some pants anyway, in different colors - cream, white, ivory, a nice beige for the pants, blues from royal to sky, greens from dusky to vibrant, and a few pieces in muted reds, oranges, and buttercream yellows. There are colored trims, accented or two-toned or patterned and everything is surprisingly tasteful, even if the colors are definitely loud compared to her usual black and gray. He's determined to force color into Haggar's life now that she's asked for it and he'll get at least one into her wardrobe if it kills them.

He comes by the dressing room and dumps a few things by the door for her, knocking on it.]

You still in there?

[You kids keep mentioning Candlenights like she's supposed to know what that is.

When he comes around to knocking on the door, she opens it a crack, if only enough for him to get a glimpse of what she had just tried on along with her expression. She's sorted through most of her initial pile, at least, but this process was just--difficult. There was definitely a want to simply disappear out of there and grab her usual styles and call it a day, but. She had asked for this help and she was going to see it through as much as he was determined to, no matter how frustrating it was.]

... I have not yet died.

[Her tone as even as ever, dark humor in the words.]

As much as it seems your intention.

[Context clues, Haggar!!!

She only opens the door a crack and for a moment Taako is afraid it's because she's still changing. But nope, it's just because she's wearing a yellow dress. He rolls his eyes at her demeanor.]

Color isn't going to kill you, you goober.

[Unless she was somehow mysteriously allergic to fabric dye.

Taako pulls the rack of clothes around and starts to push the dressing room door open.]

And that yellow needs something to break it up. A belt or something - maybe a jacket. Or a robe. Or both. Something.

[The dressing room is actually fairly spacious, so she steps back out of the way once he begins barging in, curious as to what he's bringing though also wary.]

... this was -- just for an example of the style. I am not keeping this.

[Even if something purple would probably go best with it, much like her pupils. Accessorizing was not something she had thought of either when taking the outfits to test. If she could only relax and stop fighting herself over having chosen to be in this situation, it might come easier. It wasn't as if she hadn't some kind of flair for creative extra aesthetic, at least when it came to designing armor for others. She wasn't used to the kinds of fabrics they were encountering either.]

Nope, vetoed - you're keeping it. I'll get something to go with it.

[Can't argue with him, Haggar. You appointed him in charge of your wardrobe after all - albeit temporarily. A white sash or maybe a purple belt around the waist? A lighter colored cloak on top? Yeah, that could work.

Since he's been allowed in, he drags the rack of clothing in as well, pushing it up against the wall. It significantly reduces the amount of space she has in here, but it's not like you need a ton of space when trying on clothes.]

These are the colors you'll be choosing from, but it's a mix and match. Grab whatever top and bottom you like...except?

[He rifles through the rack and pulls out three things. One is a white blouse with long puffed sleeves and a high neck. One is a loose sleeveless blue vest with a lace accent on the bottom. And the last piece is a blue and purple floral maxi skirt. He hangs these to Haggar, basically shoving them in her hands.]

Definitely try those on together.

[Even though she did put him in charge, as much as she's fighting with herself mentally over that decision.

It helps, that for all her stubbornness, he just goes harder, and there's no reason for her not to acquiesce to it. Aside from the faces she makes, but she's trying not to grimace too much. It's a little overwhelming, for something so simple. At home she'd had dozens of purple robes and black dresses all made the same way, it had not mattered to dress differently, when the High Priestess required a uniform.

At least the rack that he was wheeling in now seemed to contain choices that seem more reasonable than what he first started her off with. Even if they contained clothing shades she had not gone near in a hundred centuries. She should not have felt so conflicted over this, as much as she wanted to make a distinction for herself, too. She needed -- change.

But Taako knows none of this, even as he hands her an outfit matched together already. A good example of how to handle the process. She purses her lips, but can find no fault in it. It's not too bright and the colors... they're not searing at all, almost pleasant. He has a good eye for this even if he doesn't know why she's agreed to it at all.]

... Then I will try this on next. Why you insist upon it, I know not.

Because you look like you're trying for goth mom and ending up as funeral drab grandma.

[With the clothes passed off, Taako waves a hand in exasperation at her old outfit. He doesn't mind it on Kravitz - the goth look, it's hot as fuck honestly - but the guy knows how to accessorize and wear some color. Haggar, on the other hand?]

And funeral granny is not a good look.

[Then he turns and leaves the stall, closing the door behind him with a Mage Hand. Taako drops back into his seat to wait, kicking his feet up and using the same Mage Hand to hold them suspended in the air.]

When you've got it on, show me!

[Haggar narrows her eyes at him slightly before he leaves.

... She wasn't "trying" for anything, and it had been more reasonable to find clothing that did not stand out in any way on previous systems. Certainly, she was capable of putting things together better, if she allowed herself to do so. That struggle.

She had not truly cared enough, before. Her look on the fleet hadn't been meant to stand out or represent anything, and so the result was to be expected. Especially after her... realization, she had cared even less, until now. Until changing it.

At least she can take off this yellow dress that he insisted she keep, slip on the other set he had recommended instead. ... Too loose, on the sleeves? She wasn't certain. She studies herself in the mirror another moment longer, before allowing herself to emerge.]

And what sort of look do you consider this?

[Not that she thinks she'll understand the terminology he'll throw at her, as much as he seems to always have an answer.]

[In the time it took her to contemplate her plight and change, Taako got bored and wandered off to look at things again. When she emerges, he's changed hats to something with a long peacock feather sticking out of the band and has a new off shoulder sweatshirt on over his regular clothes that reads "EVERYDAY FABULOUS" in garish print on the front.

He looks up as she comes out and regards her, the sleeves could probably come in a little, but otherwise?]

Much better. At least you look alive for once.

[Taako jumps out of this seat and does a quick circle around her, studying the way the fabric hangs. It's definitely an improvement, but with her posture, it doesn't look at great as he'd been hoping.]

The puff of the sleeve is a little much though - you'll have to take it in for a slight alteration to pull them in and give it a less exaggerated drape with the way you like to slink around.

And...

[He grabs a gauzy scarf from the rack of clothes he sent in with her and wraps it loosely around her neck, bringing in a little green to the outfit.]

There. At least you have two things now you can wear.

Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

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