(Open) Come on, choose one. You mustn't be afraid.

[faithfulflame]

Who: Rei Hino faithfulflame & You! This is open!
When: 2/1-2/6 (7/10-7/18)
Where: All over Cerealia. Entertainment District, Shopping District, Residential District, Research District
What: Rei goes out to check on some people, take care of some business/be social, and spend time with various people.
Rating/Warning: None save maybe language? Will update as needed.

---

I. Residential District:

[Today there's a young woman walking rather briskly through the winding streets of the residential areas. She's got something on her mind, a focus and more than a few worries weighing on her of late. There are questions she has, and people she needs to talk to. If it happens that she brushes past you on the street, there may even be a palpable sense of heat following her despite the chill. Her control is slipping, and she needs to get answers and information.

She's heading for specific apartments, preceded by a simple text message request to speak. Athena Cykes, Nonon Jakuzure, Simon Blackquill and England can all expect to hear from Rei at some point, but there are other people she's checking up on. CR can assume they're on this list, I cannot list all of you!


II. CERES Gym:

[Rei's kendo training is coming along well, and she's showing up at the gym even when she doesn't have classes with Sousei to practice both that and her archery, sometimes late into the evening. Her hands are steady as she holds the shinai, and her eyes are focused on each target she looses an arrow at. To an experienced observer she's much more comfortable with the bow, but she's seemingly taking to the bamboo sword rather quickly. Sweat and hard work may not be particularly dignified, but given how insane everything's been lately? She's willing to just give up on that for now.

Hard at work, she may not notice observers until she pauses, or practically sinks down next to a water cooler. Grab her however!]


III. Research District:

[Realizing that her control is in fact slipping and has for a day or so, Rei makes her way to the hospital to get a quick checkup. It's not that she's worried she's overdoing it...but she is, and she's hardly foolish enough to let the signs of stress go unanswered.

After her checkup, she heads out of the medical facility wearing a very severe frown, looking around and hoping she's not going to run into anyone she knows. That's probably not the case, knowing her luck, but she can hope, right?]


IV. Shopping District/Auto Shop:

[This is a bit of a whim of hers, but one she's decided to indulge. It's not like she can't afford something nice, and after the scare with the buses and trains recently it has a bit more practical application. So, here she is, browsing the selection of motor-bikes available. She's actually considering it seriously, simply to have an alternate way to work.

Look out roads...]


V. Closed to Minako Aino:

[The Shopping District was something alright. The selection of things to eye-shop and possibly by rivaled and probably exceeded downtown Tokyo, but Rei'd never quite admit it. She'd also never admit to Minako that she was letting all this stress and worry get to her, but it seemed the blonde had picked up on that without prompting. At least, that was what the raven-haired priestess had assumed when she'd been told that they were going out that evening for shopping and dinner, so that Rei could 'Loosen up a bit!'

And with no choice in it and the matter settled, here they were, outside a large department store. Just before Valentine's Day...]

Comments

[idolater]

[oh! that makes Minako's smile widen]

Yeah! Go ahead! [that will make this much more fun, she thinks! and, of course, she is confident that whatever she wears, she will look amazing in it]

[faithfulflame]

[The ready agreement made Rei's inner self smirk. Yes she was embarrassed. Yes, she was reduced to a stammering, stuttering mess because she'd wound up getting wound up by Minako. But that didn't mean she was without recourse. She'd picked up on the blonde's blush, which meant something. That she was not entirely alone in her attraction.

And she's just been given permission to find her skimpy lingerie to try on.]

Five minutes then, and let's meet up at the dressing room.

[Can't spoil the surprise. SHE at least intends to make some of the outfits silly. And then surprise her with a really nice one.]

[idolater]

Yeah, sure! [so they were splitting up, then? very interesting...

Minako takes the cue to start wandering off in the other direction. true to her promise, she does not go for the most racy, skimpy outfits she can find. she searches through teddies that cover the full torso, or transparent robes. one of the robes she decides to take with her is black, with gold trim. it seems very elegant, and she thinks Rei would look smashing in it.

five minutes pass all too quickly, so Minako brings her bundle to the dressing room. she has about seven outfits, all in deep reds, blacks, or dark purples]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei slips off on her own, carefully rifling through various things. She's picking out a few bits that are a bit racier, but she feels compliment Minako very well. Teddies, a basque with stockings, a nice chemise and panties set, and other things like that. And a maid outfit, the very kind she'd dreaded the blonde trying to stuff her into.

In five minutes time, she's got about seven or eight outfits as well. The color choices favor whites, blues, pinks, a few lighter reds, a contrast to Minako's choices.

...And Rei is smiling that much wider, given what's about to happen. It's still a muted expression, but far more than she's worn in a while]

Well...here...we are. Is there one room big enough for both of us?

[idolater]

[Minako tries to peek at the pile. she sees... a lot more fabric in Rei's arms. was that a dress of some sort?]

I was just checking. We might have to cram into one. They're not made for [show and tell] two people.

[faithfulflame]

Well, I guess that's okay.

[They're both small-ish...]

But no peeking.

[idolater]

That's gonna be kind of tough... [since it's so crowded, and Minako is not very good with personal boundaries already] But I'll do my best! [salute!]

[faithfulflame]

...[Blush! Does this mean Minako actually wants to see her disrobed?!]

Then which should I wear first?

[idolater]

[poor Rei totally misunderstood what Minako meant. Minako is, of course, oblivious]

Ummm... [she looks through her bundle as they head into the dressing room] How about this? [the sheer black robe] With this! [lacy red undergarments, with matching garters. how exciting!]

[faithfulflame]

[Of course.]

That?

[Rei blinks at it, but nods very, very slowly. It's hard to do that with a straight face, but she manages it.]

It's very...um...It's cute. [And very, very much like something she has a vague recollection of from the past.] Would you try on this one?

[It's the maid outfit. Frilly, lacy, with garters and stockings and all...]

[idolater]

[so that's what that dress was! a maid outfit. Rei, you stinker! they trade bundles and Minako turns away to hold up the dress to herself]

Does this count as lingerie?

[faithfulflame]

I think so, and I think you'd look beautiful in it.

[It's a skippy one at least? Not too skimpy, but definitely not a real maid outfit.]

[idolater]

[ah, the finer points of lingerie and... well, this dress was probably used for role playing. Minako at least understands that much. she shrugs and starts getting changed.

after a few minutes, she stands up straight and smooths out her dress]

These stockings are a pain to get on... You have to be so careful! [but she's ready. and she keeps facing away from Rei until the other is ready too]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei does her best to get into the first outfit as well, fluffing it up a bit and smoothing out some of the ruffles. It's significantly more racy than she's used to, and even just getting into it makes her blush.

But eventually she nods.]

O-Okay. I'm ready. Are you?

[idolater]

Yeah, I'm ready! [Minako announces this with gusto, pumping her fist into the air. she thinks she looks pretty cute. this was a lot of fun, playing grown-up dress up]

[faithfulflame]

Okay then.

[Rei turns, and stands there, arms akimbo and eyes locked onto Minako. She knows she looks sexy in this outfit, there's no doubt about it, but how will Minako react, hmmm?]

[idolater]

[Minako turns to face Rei, resting her hands on her hips confidently. but when she sees Rei, she has to pause and look at her, up and down. it really does look sexy on her, better than Minako could have imagined.

something stirs in her, but she's not sure what it is]

Wow! You look great, Rei-chan!

[not so loud, Minako. there are people out there]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei smiles, quite pleased at the compliment despite the noise. It takes a minute for it to really register, but she blinks again.

Minako looks good. She looks really cute in that outfit. It's hard not to look her over, when she feels her heat pitter-pattering. It's never been more clear that she does actually find the blonde attractive than now, and this was just with the least revealing outfit she could find.]

You...do too.

[There's a kind of stunned quality to her voice, like she's having a hard time saying what she really wants to say, but she nods again.]

Amazing, really.

[Yeah, definitely thinks you're hot...]

[idolater]

[amazing, huh? Minako blushes, because... she knows now that Rei is not just complimenting her as a friend. she has a crush on her. suddenly, the blonde feels a bit more vulnerable in these clothes, and these are the least revealing!

she's not uncomfortable, at least. she knows that. but still, it's different to dress up like this and understand there is an attraction there. Minako's not sure if she finds girls attractive in that way, or not, but she can appreciate her friends' beauty]

Th-thanks. [she pushes some hair back behind her ear] Um... Guess we should try on more?

[faithfulflame]

I...

[The feelings she gets from Minako? Are pretty positive. Reassuring, in a way, and she's glad this isn't making the other uncomfortable. She huffs a breath and nods.]

Yes. That sounds good. Which one's next? Or should I pick?

[idolater]

You pick! [Minako fiddles with some of the lace on the apron. she was so boisterous before, but now she's a bit more subdued thinking about how this all might be affecting Rei. hn, she wonders.........

wait. no. Minako. that is a terrible idea. maybe not yet]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei blinks and nods, reaching for an outfit for Minako. A blue teddie, with some matching underthings that are covered in lace.]

And for me?

[idolater]

[oh, right! Minako looks down, rummaging through her pile. maybe... just these outfits, and then they'd be done.

she plucks out a deep purple babydoll nightie that fans out just over the hips. it's very pretty, she thinks, and kind of sweet, even though it's supposed to be sexy]

This is the last one. [she grins, hoping to ease any lingering anxieties Rei might be feeling] Then we can go get some hot chocolate!

[faithfulflame]

[Rei looks at the nightie and nods. She can agree, this isn't so bad. This one really is something she'd probably wear normally, not trying to be sexy.

The grin is returned weakly, but returned all the same. She's incredibly grateful.]

I think...yes, I think I'd like that. It sounds nice.

[idolater]

[they exchange clothes again, and Minako turns around to start changing. this time, she has to change everything she's wearing, and that is a little pressuring.

but she doesn't want Rei to feel awkward. at first, it was fun to tease her, but in the end, Minako isn't going to push her friend into doing something she doesn't want to do]

Okay. [a sigh!] I'm ready.