1454/Who Doesn't Love Fashion

Who Doesn't Love Fashion
Date of Scene:	31 January 2015
Location:	Tomoeda-865
Synopsis:	Tomoyo has to dress up 65 masks, a task that is easier than it sounds!
Cast of Characters:	Tomoyo Daidouji, 654

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Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     A wan sun shines down on Tomoeda today, the ground still a little slick from yesterday's snow, but that too is fading away. Being a Friday after school, there's quite a bit of hustle and bustle throughout the small town. But it's the pleasant kind, where it's still not too noisy, just active.

     At Tomoyo's Boutique, a delivery of materials has been made, strange threads and fibres carted through the door and either stocked on the shelves or taken upstairs. Tomoyo sits behind the counter, working on some homework. The atmosphere inside the store is quite a sleepy one, the seamstress looking a little tired as she solves equations.

Hata no Kokoro (654) has posed:
    Kokoro would be hesitant, at first, peeking her head outside of the warpgate with a series of glances intended to give her a better impression of the world. Is there magic here? If there isn't then she really doesn't want to fly and scare people. Fearful emotions don't 'taste' good to her -at all-, so she tries to avoid them as much as possible. Unless they're the friendly kind, like a 'boo' or a quick tap from behind! Those are totally okay. Just, not the ones that genuinely make someone fear for their lives or sanity. Those scares are bad bad.

    After a while, though, she would decide that it would be safer bet not to fly and proceed to Tomoyo's Boutique on foot. She does her best to go ninja mode, rolling in-between bits of cover and backstreets behind buildings to avoid prying eyes, but unfortunately the ludicrously bright hues of her hair and outfit make this stealth a bit difficult. A businessman on a call would see her and drop his coffee cup on the road after seeing her. Then he would get upset about the stains that's going to leave on his suit! So Kokoro might delay a while to go to a local store, buy some wet wipes, and help them out of their predicament. So much for stealth, but at least the business guy leaves happy! And so does she by extension. Smile~.

    Kokoro's knock on the door would be surprisingly light, but hopefully not so light that Tomoyo won't hear. "Is this where Daidouji-san makes clothes? It is, right? Kokoro is here!"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     As Kokoro traverses through Tomoeda, her antics... well, to be honest, since they have a mage on the city council who is also an ally of the Union, the people have become accustomed to strange Elites coming and going. Most only regard Kokoro with a look of bemusement and go on their way. Some younger children will point out the 'nee-san with the pink hair' to their parents though!

     The businessman does get a little upset but... the people here are too nice, it seems! He only seems mildly inconvenienced, and even tries to convince Kokoro to not go out of her way. Although, he does eventually accept her help and is all smiles once again, asking where Kokoro is going and even giving directions to Madison Lane!

     When Kokoro knocks, Tomoyo looks up and puts her homework away, giving a big smile! "Yes, this is Tomoyo's Boutique~ Welcome, come in!" She comes out from behind the counter and looks at the youkai critically... before clapping her hands together. "Oh wow~! I love your hair and eyes!" she says, radiating sincerity. "Oh, but uh... ahem~ How can I help you today?"

Hata no Kokoro (654) has posed:
    'Nee-san?' Kokoro wouldn't quite Noh (ha!) how to react to being called that, but for whatever reason it would make her happy. So she would, appropriately, pick up Ko-Omote and hold it up to the side of her face! Not that anyone would understand the gesture, but it's better than just walking by with that blank look on her face, right? And if she didn't have somewhere to be, she would totally play with the kids! She loves children, actually; they tend to be full of the happy emotions she most loves being exposed to.

    BUT! That's not important right now! What matters is dresses, and Tomoyo can provide there. So Kimiko would step inside, raise her hand to wave hello, before being complimented. The people around here really are nice!She can feel so many warm feelings radiating from all of them that she wouldn't be able to contain herself any longer, and...

    ... she would charge Tomoyo. In a hug, of course! Then she would ease out of it and pat her on the head, all with that same, completely blank expression. "Good Tomoyo! Happy, happy!" She would literally leap backward, do a 360 degree twirl, and wiggle that same happiness mask in front of her face with one hand while forming a 'V' with the fingers of the other.

    Well, this is off to a good start.

    Anyway, once she's finally composed herself again she would finally conjure an answer to Tomoyo's question. "Um! Kokoro wanted a dress. A really, really pretty one! Prettiest you could make! It would be even better if I could wear it during plays or festivals, too." She would tilt her head. "Do you think you could make one like that?"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     Tomoyo lets out a little 'eep' of surprise at being hugged so suddenly by a stranger. Even in Tomoeda, people aren't THAT friendly. But, she does return the hug with a smile and giggles at the cute pose Kokoro makes, her totally flat expressing making it even funnier somehow.

     "A pretty dress huh~? You've come to the right place! That's how I really started making clothes you know," she says, walking back behind the counter to take a sketch book out from the shelves below. Flipping to a fresh page, she digs out a mechanical pencil from her apron, extending the nib and quickly sketches a feminine figure.

     "I try to make clothes for all occasions~" Tomoyo says soothingly, deciding to fish for more information about Kokoro. "Plays, hm~? Are you an actress of some kind?"

Hata no Kokoro (654) has posed:
    Kokoro would bob her head up and down in a way that could almost be called 'excited' if only her expression would budge, but alas, it does not. "Sort of! Sort of an actress!" She would draw out her masks, those that she always possesses -- Fox, Uba, Fuku-no-Kami, Raiden, and Hannya -- rotating around her being on the providence of rather impressive blue flames. "See, see? These are all masks! They're used in plays. I'm the spirit of the masks, so of course I'm in plays sometimes." After this introduction they would just continue to float there, though mercifully they don't bump the walls or anything flammable. Though one does teeter perilously close to the paper Tomoyo is sketching on, as if interested in what she has there. But that's silly! Masks, even magically-powered ones, aren't sentient! ... right?

    Incidentally, Kokoro would take an interest too, getting on her tippy toes to get a glimpse at the other girl's drawing. "Wooooow!" She would fetch raiden out of the air, holding it to her face as Ko-Omote joins the carousel actively spinning around her being. "Kokoro is surprised! You can make dresses -and- draw like that? Amazing, amazing! Daidouji-san should teach me how to do some of these things!" She would flail her arms a bit, swaying in place as she watches her sketch.

    "But, but! Do I need to tell you anything else? Or will the dress you make be a surprise?" She would bounce in place once. "I like surprises!"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     "Oh my! You're a spirit~? I hope a friend of mine doesn't come by, you might scare her~" Tomoyo says with a giggle, looking up. Looking down at her sketching when Kokoro compliments them, she giggles and shakes her head.

     "Oh, I'm no great artist~ I did okay in art class, but figures like this and clothing just come from practice!"

     She catches sight of the swirling, flaming masks and gasps! "Oh wow! Noh masks! You're the spirit of Noh masks~?" She looks at Kokoro with an amazed expression, eyes sparkling. Reaching across the counter, she takes the girl's hands in her own and squeezes!

     "I love Noh plays! 'Kocho' is one of my favourites, but I really like 'Hagaromo' too! How about you~?" She then pauses for a moment, realizing her terribly unprofessional behaviour and pulls back, coughing into a closed fist. "Er~ Sorry about that!"

Hata no Kokoro (654) has posed:
    Her? Scare someone? She would take some air into her cheeks, inflating them in a manner that is likely meant to express irritation but just makes her face look like a balloon given the lack of facial muscle movement otherwise. "Kokoro? Scary? I'm not scary! You friend should come if she wants!" Her hands would wander to her hips, next. "What about me is scary? Mean!" She's trying to play angry, obviously, but the fact that Ko-Omote returns to her face shortly thereafter will likely indicate to the girl that she isn't really. So, she understands tsundere at least! Even if she still can't properly smile.

    Though her attention flits back to the paper she's drawing on soon enough. "Kokoro thinks you're being too modest, Daidouji-san. These pictures are really pretty! And if your dresses are even prettier, then there's no way I could ever be sad wearing one!" She would fold her arms together and give her iteration of a sagenod, which actually goes over surprisingly well for a change. "But Kokoro -will- practice! Then I'll show you all the pretty things I make!" She gives an emphatically apathetic thumbs-up!

    But she's not the only excitable one here, is she? When Tomoyo takes her hand, her eyes widen juuuuust enough to be noticed, and the girl would begin nodding her head rapidly. "Yep yep! I'm a menreiki!" Her masks jiggle with her words as if to confirm this. "My masks are my friends! ... and also me, but it's kinda complicated. But we're all very happy you know about Noh! Not a lot of people in the Multiverse seem to yet. Maybe we'll have to teach them!" Another sagenod. "Tomoyo's dresses will make that easier! They will be so pretty that no one will be able to stop watching!" She would ball up her fist and hold it firmly to her chest, expression a very serious shade of neutral. "Then Kokoro's ultimate evil plan will be complete! Muahaha."

    The evil laugh is so flat that it's almost physically painful.

    Slowly, her fist would uncurl to pat the girl on the head gingerly. "Is okay. I never mind happy feelings! And if talking about Noh gives you happy feelings, then it makes me happy, too! Happy, happy!" She would pause a moment before adding, "Kocho is one of my favorites, too, though. I also like Nue, and Sakuragawa. Those two have so many emotions! I don't know why, but having some bad feelings can be good sometimes, too. As long as the endings are always positive!"

    Soon after, though, she would give a gentle tilt of her head. "Any ideas for dresses, though? I'm a little excited!"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     "Oh! Uh, I didn't mean to offend... she's uh, just kind of bad with the idea of ghosts and spirits." Tomoyo does look genuinely concerned about upsetting Kokoro, and it's nothing to do with losing a potential customer. But, then she notices the mask that drifts towards her face. Ko-Omote, typically representative of a young girl. If she was really angry, there are so many different masks she could use.

     So, Tomoyo just smiles, understanding what was going on here and goes back to thinking. "Oh! For sure, my dress-making skills far surpass my drawing skills~" she says with a hint of pride evident in her voice. She tilts her head though when Kokoro mentions that she too, makes pretty things. "I would love to see you perform sometime, if that's what you mean~"

     She pays very close attention as Kokoro explains her nature. "Oooohhhh... I remember Naoko mentioning menreiki once... something about Hata no Kawakatsu... well, never mind~" She's still tapping her pencil against the paper, trying to come up with something as Kokoro laments that no one seems to know about Noh. "Mmm, it's kind of a niche thing isn't it~? I'd be happy to help with one of your shows sometime!" And while the menreiki's evil laugh might not be... that, Tomoyo just giggles along with it.

     "Aw, that's kind of you Kokoro, but... this is my job, you know? I shouldn't be so familiar with my customers!" She says that, but she's already coming to understand Kokoro. While she seems deadpan, she's clearly very excitable and cheery. She also does seem to have a passion for Noh... "I got it!" Putting pencil to paper, she starts to draw. At first, it looks like she's designing a kimono, with the loose sleeves, the top half that opens at the front and the sash around the waist. But the lower half is knee-length, and pushed up and out by petticoats worn underneath, a fusion of Western and Eastern dress! She then starts drawing some basic patterns and writing notes. It seems that the top half will be the glorious blue of a spring sky, and the skirts will be patterned like a blooming field of flowers, complete with fake ones sewn into it!

     "What do you think of this~?"

Hata no Kokoro (654) has posed:
    Kokoro tilts her head again. "Offend? Oh, no! You didn't offend me, I just really hope I'm not scary. Some people say that I am because I... well." She points her mouth with both fingers. "No matter what, my face never changes. It bothers some people! And that makes me sad. So that's why I'm trying to find new ways to express myself." Kokoro would ball her fist again, raising it triumphantly skyward. "And I will! Because I'm the strongest!" Her hand would return to a neutral position at her side soon enough, though, and she would end with a nod. Pretty animated for someone who's called a 'poker face', but apparently she still has more than her fair share of weaknesses. "I hope your friend learns to not be afraid of them one day, though. Some ghosts are very nice! I mean, some eat humans, but most don't. I think. I mean, I don't!"

    Her eyes widen again at the mention of 'Hata no Kawakatsu', though. "Huh, huh? You know Dad?" She would bounce up and down, twirling, grabbing Fuku-no-Kami from the circle of masks and holding it firmly to her face. "That makes me so happy! I don't remember him that good because I... well. I hadn't 'come together' yet! So all of my memories of him are really scattered, and sometimes come with lots of different emotional labels that I don't really understand. You know? It's like watching someone through one thousand different pairs of eyes. It gets confusing!"

    But... help with her show. Help with her show...? Kokoro reciprocates an earlier gesture made by Tomoyo: that is, she would rush up to her and grab both of her hands in a sudden rush of excitement. "-Yes-." She would fervently nod her head. "Yesyesyes. You could become a part of the theater! 'Signature costume maker Daidouji-tan!' That would be so cool! Don't you think, don't you think?" She would let her go and promptly resume bouncing on her heels. "I do! Daidouji-san should think about it. I'm sure the other performers would be very happy to have so many nice things to wear!" She would... tug at the corners of her mouth to force her face into a smile. Hmm. "Happy! Again!"

    She sure says 'happy' a lot, huh? The emotion must be very important to her.

    Yet again, her head would tilt when she mentions the issue of familiarity. "Huh, huh?" Kokoro would shakes her head back and forth a while. "I never mind 'familiarity'! It makes it easier for me to tell what people are feeling, and people who are more genuine tend to be more happy! At least from what I've seen. But I guess I can't run up and hug everyone who watches my plays either, so," She rocks her arms back and forth, "I kiiinda get that? Sorta." Though the sketch would immediately draw her attention again, and... annnd...

    ... and her eyes go wide. Her body goes rigid. With a sudden movement she would turn to Tomoyo, stare at her pointedly, and declare: "Kokoro thinks you are a genius. That's what I think." Sage. Nod. She would pick up the paper and turn it in her hands, studying every inch of it until, finally, she pulls the paper to her chest and... hugs it. Afterwards she would continue to sway with it in her arms for a time before gingerly handing it back to the other girl. "Wearing that would make me feel almost as nice as wearing Fuku-no-Kami at a party. And that is really, really, really, really, really, really," She takes a deep breath, "really, really, REALLY nice! Okay?" At the end she would finally say conclusively, "I like it! A lot!"

    Success~!

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     "Well, if it helps, I don't think you're scary at all. You're cute!" Tomoyo says. Those nods must be contagious, because now she's doing them too! Though, she does look at Kokoro with sympathy when she mentions that her face never changes. It must be hard, going through life when people find you off-putting. "Huh, really? I think you're pretty easy to read!" Again, just pure sincerity in the smile she gives as she says it.

     "Oh! He's your father..." You can practically hear the gears turning in her head as she looks at the masks. "... these are his masks? You're the menreiki of the masks used by Hata no Kawakatsu?" This has just been a day or revelations to Tomoyo, hasn't it? Her eyes go wide and she claps her hands together once in delight! "Well, I don't know him personally! He's kind of a legendary figure in my world. But uh! He apparently introduced kagura dance to Japan, and his descendants were renowned Noh playwrights."

     She smiles at Kokoro's obvious excitement and tilts her head. "Well, if we're going to work together, shouldn't you call me 'Tomoyo~?' 'Daidouji-tan' is a bit of a step-up though! It would also mean I would feel less bad about being so familiar with you~ After all, then we would be friends!" She gives a nod. "But yes, I would love to help with a Noh play sometime, especially with someone like you!" She giggles.

     She blushes a little at the extreme reaction, waiting patiently for Kokoro to return the sketch. "Don't call me a genius yet, I'm not done!" She smooths out the crinkles and adds more to the figure. The dress is knee-length, so she adds some knee-high stockings, drawing leg garters with flower decorations to hold them up. In addition, she adds some mary janes to the feet, with small platform soles. On the head, she adds a headdress, making extensive notes on it. It seems she plans to theme it around a blooming plum tree, and it will come with a butterfly-shaped accessory. "Just like Kocho, you see~"

     She then adds one final touch. A mantle on the figure's shoulders, with the note stating to make it from white feathers. "And just like the maiden from Hagoromo! I'll also add a river of cherry blossoms to the dress like Sakuragomo. What do you think now~?"

Hata no Kokoro (654) has posed:
    "Cute?" Kokoro would bat her lashes a few times. "Futatsuiwa-san said I was cute, too! And she's a very nice person! Such a really, really nice person! So it makes sense that Daidouji-san would say that too, because you are also very nice!" Yet -another- sagenod that leaves no room at all for objection. None, none! But by the time she says Kokoro seems 'easy to read', she's probably inwardly spazzing in degrees that Tomoyo could scarcely comprehend. All she can really think to do is to grab Ko-Omote, set it on her face, and then draw two laminated paper dots shaded pink and tape them to the masks's cheeks. A blush! At least until she finds another mask to express shyness with. People have been really making her want one lately. "Really, really? Easy to read?" She would clasp her hands. "That's Kokoro's life goal! If you think so, then I must be getting that much closer to victory!" Both of her arms would spread out, her fingers forming a pair of 'V's. "Victory!"

    Though her arms relax at her sides when next Kawakatsu is mentioned. "Of course I'm the masks that Dad used! What other ones would I be? I mean," She would rock her head back and forth some more, "Dad didn't -make- my masks, but he was the one who used them. He's the one that I had all my fun with! Toyosatomimi no Miko made me, though. Or us. Or whatever!" Her masks would quicken their pace slightly, as if in response to the conversation. "Same thing." She nods slowly as Tomoyo continues, too, folding her arms in front of herself. "Well! If he is a legend here, then Kokoro can teach you all about him! I know everything there is to know about him! Maybe. Probably!" She would shrug. "Or I at least know more than you do. I think!"

    Ah? Permission to call her Tomoyo? She would give a long 'hmmm' at that. "You know, usually Kokoro can't call people by their first names ever, so this is a really, really special thing for me! I think the only other people who have let me call them by their first names were Byakuren-chan, Toyosatomimi-san, and Futatsuiwa-san. That witch with the big black hat who says 'boku boku' used my first name right away, though. That was kinda amazing! People like that are cool." She would tap at her chin. "Does Tomoyo-san thing I could ever be a witch? ... ah! But, yes! Be should definitely work on things together! For sure, for sure!" And be friends? "Friends! That's what Futatsuiwa-san said! Yes, Kokoro would love to be friends with you!"

    Uh, wow. Maybe even a bit more extroverted than she had initially thought, huh?

    Her head would nod along as Tomoyo keeps on with the dress designing. When she mentions Kocho? A nod. Then when she mentions Sakuragawa? Another nod. But when she actually finishes sketching, and Kokoro gets to see it come to life? Ko-Omote would float away in favor of Uba. "Waaah~! Tomoyo-san, Tomoyo-san...! It would be like wearing a play! I could never have imagined doing that before! This is really... wow! Wow, wow!" Her head undulates back and forth in something akin to disbelief. "Kokoro doesn't know what to think. I can barely imagine wearing that! It would be amazing! Amazing!" She would look to her again, now. "I'm so glad you know so much about plays! Because of you, I think a lot more people with know about them soon, too!" Merrily she would chime, "Noh, noh~!"

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     Tomoyo just watches with a bemused smile at Kokoro gets more and more happy. But she actually giggles when the youkai actually makes a pair of blush stickers to put on her mask. "Clearly~ You can do it!" she declares, squeezing her hands into fists!

     She listens patiently to Kokoro, interjecting with, "Well, there are a lot of Noh masks in the world now~ It's just that your dad was apparently the first to use them!" she explains. "Although, I suppose things might differ in other universes huh~?" She claps her hands together and nods when Kokoro offers to teach her more about her father. "I would really like that! Thank you~"

     She looks a little concerned as Kokoro draws out that 'hmm' as she considers her request. Did she take it too far too fast? But, thankfully, she accepts! "Hahaha~ I'm sure I could make you a witch outfit sometime! Maybe there's a Noh play out there about witches~" She smiles and giggles. "So, I'll call you Kokoro then, is that okay~?"

     But, back to the sketch. It honestly warms her heart when people so obviously love her designs. Delight radiates from her face as she beams and claps her hands together. "Great~! Now uh, we just need to get one more thing out of the way." From her apron, she takes out a measuring tape and indicates the dressing rooms behind Kokoro. "We need to get you measured, okay?"

Hata no Kokoro (654) has posed:
    Kokoro would give a resolute nod, mimicking the gesture Tomoyo makes with her hands. "Kokoro knows she can! And I will! I'll be the most expressive poker face ever!" An odd turn of phrase, that. It's something she's been called in the past, but clearly she doesn't fully comprehend what 'poker face' actually means. But at least she still looks -- er, seems happy! And that's what's important.

    Though at the mention of there being more Noh masks, her eyes go wide. "What. Then, am I made of even more masks than I thought? Or are those not a part of me? Or... or..." She presses her hands to her cheeks, fussing a little. "Ahhh, that's confusing, Tomoyo-san!" And Noh masks -in other Universes-? If they could her eyes would be twitching right now. This seems a bit much for her to wrap her head around. Though, mercifully, she can always latch on to the conversational topic of Hata no Kawakatsu to maintain her hold on sanity. "Ah! But, yes! I'll tell you more about him sometime. First, did you know he was actually from China and he -came- to Japan? Some people still think he was the reincarnation of the Qin emperor, though. I'll tell you more later!"

    Her arms fall slack and she just sorta blankly stares when Tomoyo asks to call her 'Kokoro', though. Blink. Blink blink. "Kokoro-chan, yes." She would gently press on the blush stickers to make sure that they're still there. They are, right? Right. Good. She needs those right now.

    Though, what the heck is that? She tilts her head waaay to the side when she takes out the measuring tape. She probably doesn't understand this process that well. "Measuring? Oh, you mean so you'll know the right way to make the dress? Okay!" She would inch closer to Tomoyo and pat her sides a few times. After a few moments of impatient figdeting, she would finally ask, "So whaddoido?"

    You just stand there, silly.

Tomoyo Daidouji has posed:
     'Expressive' and 'poker face' were not two terms Tomoyo ever expected to hear in the same sentence, but the girl before her certainly makes them work! She just smiles and nods. "You're well on your way already~"

     She does tilt her head when Kokoro seems flabbergasted at the idea of more Noh masks existing. "Well... yes! But you're the spirit of the very first set that existed~ Later versions are just based on the ones you have... or are, I think~" she explains in a soft, placating tone. "Mmh! I had heard of that~ Some professor out there claimed that he was from even further away than China, but I don't know if I believe that."

     With a gentle smile, she nods when Kokoro agrees to be called by that. It's quite clear that she's feeling a little bashful now, so she doesn't push the issue. But she does gently push Kokoro into the dressing room and closes the curtains. "Mmhm! As for what you do... undressing is a good start! Measuring through clothes gets you an inaccurate result, you see~"