Late the next morning, Iris watched Yukino and Sakaki dress a re-girlified Cobalt. The Japanese fashion designers were affixing a modular qipao to her frame. The fabric was dyed a deep midnight color and trimmed in shining silver silk. The dress had a majestic, regal effect when combined with the kimera's gray-blue fur and white hair.
Iris studied Cobalt's expression with curiosity and concern. Since removing her transformation collar, the goat/lion had said very little. She seemed happy and anxious in the minutes following the reveal of the dress. She stayed content even after they trimmed off the small bit of goatee she usually enjoyed sporting. Then she settled into a patient, almost unreadable look.
The bits of the qipao were carefully buttoned together and Sakaki had moved on to braiding her hair. Cobalt drew a short breath. Her patient expression broke into wide-eyed eagerness for an instant before coming under control again. Finally having confirmed her suspicion, Iris broke the silence.
"You are loving this."
Cobalt blinked in a show of surprise laced with a hint of fear. "O-o-of course I am. This dress i-i-is beautiful!"
"No, you are loving this." Iris drew up as close to Cobalt as she could get without interfering with Yukino and Sakaki's work. The two kept a professional silence and diligence to their duty.
"You love being pampered like a royal queen. I know you'd love to wear dresses like this every day of the week if you could stay a female, but more than that, you specifically love this, right here. Getting dolled up. Soaking up the anticipation."
Cobalt's eyes shifted. For the first time all day, her face turned sour. "A-a-and the hair. I li-i-ike feeling my ha-a-air being made up."
Iris cocked her head and lowered her accusatory voice to be more on the level of a confiding friend. "Don't say that as if it's a bad thing. We've all got our little desires. And it's not like the rest of us aren't getting something nice out of it. These girls are getting a hefty royalty bonus and free advertising, and I'm getting the best fashion portfolio of my budding career."
"Still, I feel gui-i-ilty. I should ha-a-ave told yo-o-ou."
"Told me what? That you'd find this fun? I was hoping for that, silly. Last thing I want to do is annoy my friends and waste their time. But if you need to do something to take the unnecessary guilt off, you can tell these talented ladies what you think about their work."
Cobalt smiled sheepishly and glanced at Yukino, who had obviously been listening to the entire exchange and now looked at Cobalt with a kind, welcoming expression.
And so Cobalt spent the rest of the time while her hair was being braided and twirled bleating out compliments for the design and craftsmanship of the dress. She praised the exuberant length of the dress' tails and sleeves. She remarked on the beautiful subdued coloration, and the way Sakaki had braided her hair. It was clear to everyone in the room that Cobalt was not being patronizing. She was being sincere, and her admiration--borderline obsession--with the fashions they had worked with in the past two days seemed to be something she had been holding back in fear that she would never be able to stop.
Iris managed to clam her up easily, however, noting that they had two other outfits to photograph. The women lined Cobalt up on her mark in front of the camera, and straightened the dress' yards of silk across the infinity wall.
And Cobalt stood there silently, regally, looking more content and confident than she had all day.
To Be Continued
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