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World of Darkness: Balance of Power - [Vampire] Put the Polyester Back


z-Sam Vimes

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Sam wasn't sure how Puck had arranged this, but he'd said he'd do it. And somehow, they were walking into the back of some store on the Plaza at midnight. Sam didn't know which store it was; India had picked the places they would be going. Also, part of Sam wasn't sure she wanted to know, just as part of her was insanely curious about where they were going. She was also sure that the price was going to stagger her.

Still, this promised to be fun. The late night affair lent an air of mystery and fun to the adventure. Like so many things in her life since stumbling onto Puck, Sam found herself responding to the adventure offered, giggling at the slightly illicit feeling of being in a store after hours.

"So just to be sure I have this right," she said once they were safely inside the building, "I'm not going to have to wear anything that makes me uncomfortable, right? I mean, I'll do what I need to do to keep the group safe, because I promised, but you guys are going to work with me on it, right?"

Sam stole glances at the wares distributed in the storeroom, her eyes widening at how glamorous they all looked. I don't know that this is me, she thought, but Puck gave her an encouraging smile, and Sam felt her trepidation fade. Despite her initial fear when meeting him, she trusted him to protect her, even if it was just from some fashionably ambitious friends. "Don't worry, Sam," he said softly, his incredibly blue eyes twinkling at her.

And with those words, she didn't worry anymore at all.

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Arranging for the store to be opened up for the evening had been a bitch to accomplish, but the look of Sam's face made it worth every Benjamin spent. If he wasn't careful, he could really get used to this whole 'controlling a city from the shadows' thing that so many Kindred spent their nights cultivating. Wouldn't Mother just love that?

Pushing away thoughts of his sire, Puck gently guided Sam over to the dressing area, past t-shirts, pants, frocks, and accessories that cost more individually than many houses in the city did, with a gentle pressure on the small of her back. He gave a nod to India and Craig, releasing them to frolic through the store to the content of their unbeating hearts and pick out outfits for the newest member of their family. Not quite yet. Yet. He grinned down at Sam and slipped the hand from the small of her back around her hip, pulling her into a half hug and kissing her on the temple. "You'll be fine. This might even be fun, if you're not careful."

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  • 2 weeks later...

Craig moved around the store, looking at all the expensive clothing, Sam's style on first impression was that simple Kurt cobainish flannel look, and now he felt like breaking her off that tomboy dress code, maybe have her try something that "wasn't her"

His eyes fell on a strapless black corset gown made of silk with draping that gave it an interesting look , The kind Sam would probably hesitate to try but that was part of the fun.

Aside from the dress he picked up some T-Shirts, a felted scarf and a pair of vinyl pants and a random skirt he didn't take a good look at as he headed back to Puck and Sam.

"Try these on" he said with a smile as he shoved the stack of cloths into Sam's arms.

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Sam blinked and sorted through what had been deposited in her arms. "Um, wow, really?" she managed to ask. She flipped up the tag of the dress she was looking at and swallowed a gasp of outrage at the number. "This costs more than I do. Literally. If I wear that, I'll soil it with poorness!"

She didn't even dare mention ripping it. Destroying it to the point where the money would just be wasted set fear on her like a rabid animal, leaving her nearly terrified. After all, she breathed, moved and just generally did things the vampires didn't have to - they could fit into clothing that would distort if she glanced at it wrong.

"No, no," Puck said firmly. "Go. Try them on. Go on." Two sets of masculine hands pushed her into the changing room. She'd agreed to do this, and so she sighed but began to strip.

The dress went on easily enough, but it was as uncomfortable as it could be once she'd gotten the corset tightened. "Mnugh," she said.

"You alright?" India asked.

"Yeah..." Same gasped. "Just... working out how to breathe."

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In contrast to Craig, India approached the shopping experiment with some mixture of delight and focus, breezing her way into the store and then immersing herself in the racks as she began to review clothing options and combinations. The startled human shot her a somewhat hesitant glance, as if she were afraid to see the size of the pile India was about to add to Craig's selections, but India waved a hand briefly at her, indicating that she should go ahead and head to the fitting room.

"Go one, darlin' - shoppin's too fun an event to rush through it. You start with what Craig gave ya' an' ah'll have somethin' different once you're all done with that."

She picked up a fitted leather jacket and looked it over appraisingly before glancing briefly at the tag to check the size. Her gaze lingered on the figure indicated on the small, discreetly placed price tag, and almost as an afterthought she called out to Sam again.

"Oh, and darlin'? Just.. don't look at the price tags - if we don' care, then you need ta' worry about it. An' that's that."

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Puck lounged in a chair set by the dressing room for those upperclass plus-one's pulled along the shopping trips of the well-to-do, watching his cohorts with an amused grin. They'd be buying a new house somewhere soon, he mused, perhaps it was time to take the entire family on a trip like this? Some of the children were getting bigger and a shopping spree was always a fun family event.

He chuckled at Sam's complaint, "Short little gasps, if I remember correctly." He let the statement sit for a moment, grinning as he imagined the blush on her cheeks. "That or we could have an Elizabethan corset made for the dress; those were actually fitted for women instead of poles."

He waved for India's attention while he teased the mortal, pointing out a deep forest-green dress cut in a Mediterranean style with gold accents, a scooping neck and backline, a gold loop belt, and jewelry to match. At India's appreciative smile, he stood and gathered the dress up, along with the golden-hued strap heels that went with it, and slipped it over the top of the dressing room door. Despite the discussion of price, he hadn't bothered to look at the small paper tag secured to the shoulder of the dress. "And darling, you're not poor anymore. Try this one; no corset, I promise."

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This was easily the most embarrassing episode in her life, while simultaneously being the most surreal. "Ok...ay... corset... right... out," Sam gasped, before releasing herself from its constriction. She wasn't going to be running around swooning like a heroine from a bad period romance movie.

She sighed at Puck's insistence, knowing it wasn't really true. She was still poor; she was just mooching off rich people. She used to despise hanger-ons like that, and now she was one. "Well done," she muttered under her breath as she draped the black dress over the door and pulled in the green one.

She tried not to look at the tag, but once again, curiosity killed the reporter. Holy shit! She closed her eyes and tried not think about tearing or otherwise rendering the dress useless. Nervously, she put it on, admitting that the thing was pretty. She tried on the heels and the jewelry, then said, "This one isn't bad. I look like I need to spend a few hours in a salon first."

"Come out, you have to let us see," Puck ordered, and with a sigh, Sam did as commanded, swinging open the door.

"I think it looks ok on me," she said nervously, not wanting to admit that she wanted them to like it.

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India stepped forward, taking one of Sam's hands before the young woman could protest and turning her so that she pirouetted for the two male Kindred who were admiring her, and so that India could get a look at the whole outfit.

"It flatters your coloring perfectly, darlin'. I love it."

India had fed before their little shopping excursion, so the fingers that Sam felt suddenly running through her hair were as warm as a human's hands, though they moved through her long brown locks with a finesse generally only encountered by the most able of hairdressers. She arranged Sam's hair into a loose twist and held it up to the back of her head as she lightly placed a pin to hold it in place. Then she turned her towards a mirror so that she could get a look at her own reflection. The first step towards loosening the girl up was getting her to enjoy herself, after all. And India couldn't imagine be enjoying themselves at least a little, looking as good as Sam did in that dress.

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Craig never really liked gold on clothing but had to admit the dress was of a fine cut and it looked good on Sam.

He watched Sam's reflecting through the mirror, enjoying the display, it was her first step in this direction and that in itself was a beautiful thing to behold.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Puck flashed his child a pleased and impish grin as he slid up behind Sam, slipping arms around her waist and playfully laying his chin on her shoulder. He stared at the mirror where the two of them were reflect and smiled at her image. "I like this one. Maybe a couple different dresses in this style and then some more casual affairs?"

His expression turned mischevious again as he slid his hands over the curves of her hips, "Unless you'd prefer to dress up for us every night? I'm sure Craig would enjoy the eye candy." He glanced over at his cultist and teased, "For purely artistic reasons, I'm sure."

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Sam blushed at the casual touch on her body. "Um, sure," she said shyly, not really willing to put forward her own opinion since she was sure it was lacking. That was the reason for this trip - she didn't know high fashion from a hole in the ground. "I like this dress."

The idea of dress up wasn't that bad, but Sam didn't say anything. She turned to look at Craig, exuding a mixture of trepidation and temptation. Why do all these dead guys have to be so fuckin' hot? It's not fair! Even India was far too pretty.

She tried to steer her mind away from that. "I think I'd like to try a simpler dress. Isn't the little black dress supposed to be the in-thing you wear?"

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  • 2 weeks later...

"Excellent point, it's a timeless classic, darlin.. if by 'timeless' y'mean the last eighty years or so. Especially if you're hanging out with our type.. red and black are always popular. I'll see what I can find."

India made her way through the aisles, selecting several of the "little black dresses" that Sam had suggested.. the expected "slinky, form-fitting" black dress.. the "fun, swishy" black spaghetti-strap dress.. the classy, Jackie-O style little black dress with optional matching jacket.. and a couple others, just for good measure.

After about five, she motioned for Craig, and passed the bundle of black dresses, all made of different fabrics and textures, off to him to deliver to Sam. Then she started browsing for some other more casual outfits - after all, the mortal seemed to be having a good time so far and India intended to ride that train as long as possible. She called out to Sam across the store floor, her voice cheerful and upbeat.

"Try those on, Sammie darlin', an' let the boys tell you what they think. I'm gonna find you a few more things too. Oh, this is too cute for words..."

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