***[POV: Severely Underdressed Citra]***
Ricoat people just smartly move out of the way as I run by with a little protégé on my back. It’s almost cute... that change from surprise in their stance, to *ignoring* .
While pinning themselves against walls or hopping back into a junction path while I aim for the backmost freight lift down here. It’s out of the way when it cos to the undercroft, but one of the closest elevators to the stairwell.
> And it works with the keycard I have, still! <
So of these routes were narrow enough that my shoulders could sotis brush both walls. But luckily most were high enough that I didn’t have to canine crawl with Zoé holding on.
At least, until I reach the place where I can’t continue any further *this* way. Standard size doors... ugh, it’s like they were built to stop from moving freely in this giant form!
Lowering myself to the cold polished concrete, I let her slide off first. She stumbled a bit - her legs had been clamped around a horse-sized wolf’s ribcage for several minutes.
Yet, she caught herself against the wall without jostling my son too much. Good kid.
The shift back was quick enough, bones finding their much shorter natural human state. Which is honestly still weird to , considering I spent more years getting smaller and *growing* fur in my old body rather than losing it.
That sa bit of ridiculous steam that happens now swirled around as I crouched down. What I’d been wearing before I’d shifted earlier was now scattered into shreds of rag and thread.
> I wonder if people are going to pick them up. Ugh, I wonder if they’re going to treat it like these humans do their holy relics... <
As I stood and stretched out my neck, I consider that the only silver lining is that the dupatta I might return was still upstairs. I hadn’t brought that down with , knowing that this sort of thing was a possibility.
In any case, I don’t regret the loss of the clothing this ti. Since I got to see this.
"...Oh. Uh. Oh."
Zoé was making an admirable effort to look at absolutely anything other than . The floor, the way we just ca, a different part of the floor on the other side of , and finally just the pup’s pouch sitting on her while a hand shades her eyes.
> Well, isn’t that just adorable? <
"Transformations do tend to eat one’s wardrobe. But we don’t always have ti to remove our clothes, hm?"
"Yes. I uhm, I know it happens. I just-"
"You *can* look at . I’m not embarrassed. And I know you like a certain boy, so I won’t even mistake the admiration you show for sothing else. Or tease you."
"You’re-"
Her head tilted up and eyes flicked over the hand almost involuntarily before she turned herself completely.
"I-it’s just a lot... there. And it feels like... like walking in on my mom or sister changing? I don’t want to look at that."
Ah. That kind of reaction. I guess I understand it... from what little Helene understood. But in the first place, I’m not sure I was ever bothered or thought much about my own Queen Mother in her natural human state?
> You also really do get used to servants seeing you in phases of undress. When no one else is treating it like a big deal, it’s hard to build your own tension around a thing. <
"Well, you can do as you wish. Just keep in mind that - while I understand there are appropriate tis for all sorts of things - our bodies are not intended to fill us with sha. No matter what form they take."
eting my eyes in an awkwardly focused way so she can try to see nothing else, she undid the harness on her and began to hand Asha back over to . But she doesn’t end her shedding when I take the straps.
The girl, almost as tall as , starts quickly tugging off the tan colored hoodie she was wearing... to reveal a rather plain white tee underneath that contrasts with her darker skin... and causes to take a step back from her in jest.
Mostly in jest.
"...Were my words so effective that you wanted to strip down imdiately to make feel heard? That was not really-"
"No! I’m... urgh, just... just take it."
The garnt was warm from her body, my system’s sense of things told . And it slled faintly of the plain soap that I found has been regularly distributed in the undercroft. As well as sothing I think I’m going to identify as... sweet smoke.
Kind of like what you *think* barbeque should taste like? Interesting. Reminds that I’m hungry and also makes realize that the Sandhowl general scent must have sothing to do with fiery things?
> Mateo was wildfire ash, after all. And I guess I *should* check in with Dr. Lang on the deal with- <
"Are you just going to touch it or wear it?"
"Huh. Do you really want to try and wear this?"
"It’s better than nothing, right? Aren’t there guards up ahead that will see you?"
"Why yes, there are. But..."
Instead of explaining, showing was worth thousands of words that could fall from my lips. Also I’d rather see the look on her face after this!
One arm through one side, one arm through the other after changing the hands holding the harness with my son inside. I suppose I could have sat him down or handed him back over, but I didn’t want to let him go again right now.
Zipping up the slim-fit jacked was a bit of strain across my chest. Which is apparently sothing she did *not* think through.
It ca down to near mid-thigh on her, I’d noticed. When tugged down all the way. Tugging for only shows off that it is a bit shy of covering anything down below. Considering it has several inches of extra travel around my bust that is hiking it all up.
"...Uhm..."
"I appreciate the thought, but it’s subjectively worse, isn’t it? At least before... anyone that stared would mostly be looking up here. And rightfully so."
"Just take it off, please. I’m sorry I tried helping!"
Reattaching the harness with Asha to her - since I still haven’t adjusted for - I clamp my grip on her startled shoulder with one hand and point us forward.
"Oh don’t be such a spoilsport. You just have to walk directly in front of , hm? No big deal."
"...Fine."
Before she can open the door, I put my hand over the gap between it and the fra. Taking a deep breath and sigh, I realize that fun is fun - but there are things I need to say to feel like I’m upholding my responsibilities as an adult.
"Zoé. I put you in an unfair position earlier that I should not have. Asking you to protect a child when you are one yourself."
"I’m not a-"
"You are. And that is not an insult, but a fact."
> One that I didn’t really do well with myself, a few years past her age. So I’m probably stepping clumsily around landmines here. <
"Regardless of how well you handled it back there, I’ve made it clear to you before, I think. That I do believe the biggest reason adults exist is to protect the young that they should foster."
My hand pulls away from the steel and presses on her forehead softly, for just a second, before moving up and patting her hair with its interesting texture. And forgetting what I was talking about until she interrupts .
"Headpats, really?"
Well, I may be going a bit too far with the system’s little ntor role. But I have a feeling it only gave the option because I already saw her quite quickly as soone to protect and guide.
"A lot of things are probably pushing you to act like more of an adult right now. I shouldn’t be one of them. And I’m ashad that I was. And that I may do it again."
She didn’t have sothing to say back to that. Though I feel like it was not the sullen quiet of a teenager being told sothing they don’t want to hear, so much as the kind soone of any age takes when they are sorting things out.
"You need to know that you shouldn’t excuse us for doing it. Okay?"
"Hm."
A simple verbalization. Like she was still working out whether the indirect apology made her feel respected or small.
"Kyrie is going to kill ... isn’t she?"
"No...? Why would she?"
"My jacket slls like ... I wasn’t thinking about that!"
Ah. Or maybe she’s just thinking about too many things at once.
"I know. You’re just a kid in over her head, after all."
"...Give my clothing back."
It takes everything in not to laugh behind her back. Literally. But I think my humor can still be heard in my voice.
"After I get myself a new set of them. Co on, lets go up."
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