St. James Boutique

Entropoly watches new and inspiring figures come into action with the scene she was witnessing, and the unknowing victim flounce away without a care in the world. She quickly put herself out of the way, watching with wide and curious eyes from a spot against the wall.

The shop held no interest to her for the moment, as the dragon and crone out front was an odd conflict to the gnome.

Genevieve's exasperation with Kate was visible for only a moment before the woman schooled her features. "I am very sorry," she apologized to Kate. "You have been most helpful," she further said, trying to flatter Kate as well.

Inside the shop, Kate would find herself relaxing into its warm, coziness, a feeling of security and tranquility there along the edges, as if this place were her own home and nothing could ever hurt her. The items inside were pretty and well made, artfully arranged.

A sofa was framed by two chairs and a coffee table in front, a silver tea service upon it and a tray of biscuits and scones upon it. It was very handsome inside, indeed, and coaxed customers into wanting to stay just a bit longer.

But back to the dragon that was questioning the dress.

"Oh, non, my dear dragon," she said to him. "This is not a dress, but a handsome coat! One can wear it open or closed," Genevieve said as she lifted it up to him, and then hesitated, her warm smile fading a little. "The mannequin...?"

She turned back towards her store and brought it out while Grandma was scolding the dragon. 'Excuse me just another moment," she said to Kate with a warm smile and brought the mannequin out. She would be sorry to see it go, and the mannequin itself was filled with so much magic that it might not even be surprising if it came to life of its own accord, to help and to support whoever its master was.

"Merci beaucoup," she said to the dragon when he complimented her on her magic. She didn't have time to tell him what it was the coat did; he would have to discover that for itself. "I am afraid that we will never know," she said to Trogdor, "not until someone comes upon your lair."

He gifted her with a view into a magic mirror that lay upon his tongue, but Genevieve very gently shook her head. "Your gift is very kind," she said to him, as warm as she had been since the beginning, "but I must decline. It's a little hectic at the moment," she said with a small laugh, gesturing around them. It would be a very inconvenient time to stop everything, think of her true heart's desire with meaningful concentration, and then be asked to see it. Plus, she didn't want others to see what could potentially be a very private moment.

With a pretty smile and a nod of her head -- and if the dragon was finished with her -- she moved back inside.

There was blood on her carpet from Tick, a dragon at her window, a missing mannequin and its coat. "Ah, what a busy day," she laughed good-naturedly, sharing a joke with Kate.

The bell above her door chimed again when a beautiful, angelic presence came in, to ask after coins from Kate. Genevieve let them speak while she deftly moved momentarily into the back room to change into a clean blouse.

Wrapping an apron around her waist, she moved towards Kate and Lum'Valia. "Once more, I so deeply apologise. I was not expecting so much excitement! How may I be of service?"

If one was looking closely at Grandma, they would see a look of disappointment come over her face when Trogdor flew away. Maybe she hadn’t been abrasive enough to him? Maybe his pride wasn’t all he made it out to be? Perhaps he had sensed her intent? Either way, it was a shame.

Deciding everything was under control once more, Grandma would make her way back to the carriage. She would notify the closest guards to be on the lookout for the dragon and to immediately contact her if it flew into the city again. Next time she wouldn’t need to go through the motions with it...

Lum takes the gold coins smiling like a school girl. Given that the dragoness planned to spend it all on chocolate, this was apropriate. Lum manages enough dignity to not squeal in excitement, instead just saying excitedly.

"Oh thank you Kate!"

She then remember enough manners to not immediately fly out of the store, she stops long enough to address Genevieve.

"Hello, you have a very nice shop but I don't need anything at the moment. Maybe I will stop in later, but right now I must depart there is very important chocolate I must buy."

With that Lum walks out of the shop with her armful of coins, and takes flight back to the candy shop.

Kate followed the pretty little thing with her gaze, giggling a bit as it flew by her head. "Oh hi little fella? Did you come to say hello? Are you hungry?" Kate moved by the table to pick up a cookie. She'd swing the sack of money onto the couch, where it landed with a clinking sound. Kate would then follow the fairy around, forcibly trying to get it to eat her offering.

Genevieve nodded in her greeting and her farewell to Lum'Valia, who seemed all too eager to get chocolate. She even laughed a little at it, and then looked up when the fairy entered her store. Busy day!

Odette would want to see this, Genevieve thought, remembering how excited her little girl had been to see Trogdor. Unfortunately, that will have to be later.

"Hm... for a woman that already has everything? Hmm..." She sat down on one of her sofas. "Hot chocolate?" she asked before she poured herself some, thinking of the question. "Well, I'm not sure that buying her anything would work," she said. Genevieve was a horrible saleswoman. Just, horrible. "I could offer you a fine hat or lovely gloves, but those are things she might already have! Of course, not mine, that is to say... Hm." She sipped her drink. "What sort of woman is she? What sort of woman are you? It would help if I'd know what you're more likely to give, and what she would be more happy to receive, you see."

The question posed by Genevieve had Kate staring at her blankly for a moment. After an uncomfortable amount of seconds, she snapped back to reality. “Ugh, I’m such a bad girlfriend…” Kate slouched onto the couch, tipping over the bag of money. “Of course I should have thought of getting her something thoughtful, why would I go get her something expensive! She owns, like, the biggest joint in town!”

As Maelik wandered in, Kate let out a little “Eep!” before recognising the man responsible for the catering of her latest date with Naoki. She waved back, meekly, and awkwardly. She was not entirely sure how she felt about him. Sure, Maelik’s cooking were worth dying for, but the demony visage was kind off a turnoff. Then again, seeing him here, he could be looking for some apparels to better suit him. It only took a hat good enough to bring out the diamond in the rough, after all…

Turning her attention to Genevieve, Kate would nod with determination. “I believe she knows me well enough to appreciate whatever I give her… But I still want it to be something special. I want to make her smile, and let her know I think about her.” Kate was beaming. “It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. In fact, I think Nao would like something small and thoughtful…”

Kate took another cookie and fed it to the fairy. “Are you thoughtful, hm? Would you like to be a present to the most perfect person in the world?” She joked.

Kate stared at the fairy, her mouth making an oval shape and her eyebrows making a wavy shape “Huh? You can talk?”

Well of course it can talk, dummy! It’s a fairy, not a housefly!

Kate hesitantly cupped the fairy in her hands, looking straight at it’s… General eye level. “Is it… really okay? I mean, just coming along with a stranger?”

I literally have no idea how she would respond... But this would certainly be unique. I mean, I don't think she has a secret fairy farm in the back. I hope.

Kate smiled with sympathy towards the fairy. Poor thing must have been desperate for attention. "Well, I can at least show you to her. I'm sure she won't mind. Ah!" The yelp was directed to Genevieve. "I'm sorry. I hate to leave without buying anything, but I'm sure she has more than enough things to wear." Kate felt a teensy bit terrible for wasting her time, but she knew this is what she wanted.

Genevieve watched the little fairy flitter around and how Kate seemed so entranced by it. The girl seemed easily distracted, and Genevieve frowned gently when she seemed so quick to put herself down.

"Non, darling, I am sure that is not true. One moment," she said and she set down her tea cup. She laughed a little at how the fairy twirled, and then moved into the backroom. It was while she was out of the room that Maelik darkened her door.

When she came back out again, there was a lovely thin silver box in her hands. Inside, there was a gift meant for Naoki. It was enchanted, and perhaps not properly enchanted for Naoki, but the garment inside was lovely and beautiful. "Don't open this yet," Genevieve said as she showed Kate the box. "It's magic works only for the person who first sees it."

She named a quiet sum for Kate, and then moved over to the large and imposing Maelik. On another day, perhaps the elegant seamstress would have been more intimidated, but as she had already faced down a dragon and a beast and a mad scientist abomination man, Maelik was less-shocking.

Even so, his height and his appearance was... unsettling.

"Bonjour, sir," Genevieve said, her smile warm on him. Her countenance was inviting, soothing. Having stepped into the shop, Maelik no doubt felt himself relaxing and feeling safe and cozy within the confines of the St. James Boutique. "How can I help you?"