Mistral re-opened her cabin door a short time later, now garbed in a slim black leather motorcycle jacket, matching knitted scarf, pom-pom beanie and gloves all in the same shade of blue as her hair-tips, complemented by jeans and black heeled boots.  She glanced from Sal to Prometheus, whom she could tell was now occupied by Lola without needing to ask.  She said, “It is evening in Europe and cold this time of year.  Lola, you will do well with la jaquette and Sal... do you experience cold, as mortals do?  I have always been curious of that.”

When all were ready Mistral led then into her room and toward a closet door, in which she opened a portal with a word and a gesture.  Beyond this was a chilly subterranean cavern of strange angles that at least Prometheus had seen before, and in which she led them to the edge of a circular pool of clear water.  After a brief ritual she drew open a mist-limned portal and stepped through it.  The portal left them in a darkened utility room full of paint cans and cleaning products with French labels.  Mistral went to the door, unlocked the bolt and ascended a narrow staircase to a long boulevard at night but well-lit by lights strung through the trees down the center, as well as the glows from the shops in the tall old European-style buildings lining either side.  The street was packed with pedestrians milling in and out of the designer boutiques, trendy fashion outlets and small cafes.  Mistral said, “L’Avenue Montaigne, Paris.  Avenue des Champs-Elysées is fifty meters this way.  Any fashion worth the name can be found within fifteen minutes walk from where we stand.”  She looked to Prometheus/Lola and asked, “Where shall we begin?”

Lola pouts but makes no complaints about having to wear the jacket, "Whenever I step forward, I will probably be wearing it, it makes sense to wear it just one more time. If you think they will let me into the building wearing it."

As they moved through the portal to Mistrals hidden cave, Lola skipped after Mistral, and grin on her face, "Finally. A body, 100 years and who knows how much lost and changed.... but I finally get to live the dream of me and my sister. I get to walk in France. I could just scream...."

And as soon as they are up the stairs and Mistral tries to explain where they are, it quickly becomes clear Lola isn't listening, literally dancing from shop to shop, Singing in the Rain style, clearly looking and trying to decide what she wants.

Its also rapidly seems to become apparently forgotten she doesn't speak French anymore, after running into someone, getting insulted and told to watch where she is going, only for her to reply, "I know, isn't it just AMAZING!!!"

Sal wore the long coat he had previously purchased, and if possible, had Grey make him a scarf and mittens. He didn't mind that they were bright green. Just to be safe, he brought his pistol and telescopic baton, concealed within the coat. Under the coat, he wore his business attire. "The biggest problem a lack of cold weather attire presents my kind, is tye questions it attracts. Thought frostbite could still damage my flesh, I suppose."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:42, Mon 30 Dec 2019.

Lola’s outrageously exuberant behavior made Mistral wary, but she couldn’t help be amused by it as well.  That unrestrained joy was a sure sign that this had been the right thing to do.  There was, however, a pressing concern that it might all go wrong as well, if not reined in.

Pacing after the prancing fashionista in a half-cyborg male body, Mistral stepped in and took her by the arm while apologizing in French to a young couple she’d nearly bowled over.  “Let us have a look in cette boutique, shall we?”  She dragged her enthusiastic companion into a high-end boutique for women’s clothing and shoes called Ciel du Sud.  The shop was spacious and lavishly-appointed, as were most establishments in the area, and the mirrored walls were lined with sparse but artful displays of designer fashions tastefully lit with warm underlighting.  She was aware that this particular shop had a generally helpful English-speaking staff, solid security, and an in-house designer/tailor who was more than happy to cater to all manner of cross-dressing needs.

Mistral led Prometheus to a clerk who looked pompous only to an acceptable degree and introduced her companion in French, explaining that Lola was an American tech mogul who’d recently come out of the closet and was excited to finally find apparel to flaunt her true gender identity.  With Lola now set loose upon an expert who would be more than happy to help her spend five or more figures on fashion, Mistral let out a sigh and shared a knowing look with Sal.  She remained near the door... just in case.

Lola is quickly swept away into her white girl fantasy and while it take a while to figure out a balance between her 90s style and the modern flavors and materials, its very clear that between her enthusiasm, and knowledge of 'historic trends' and both his actual knowledge of fashion, materials and sewing, it looked like she was going to get a few outfits that would be a real impressive fusion of old and new.

STILL, that didn't stop her from grabbing half a dozen things off the racking that she clearly wanted to try. Poking her head through the curtains just after she passed through them, she said, "Is Pink still considered way to bright? I think it is, but that maybe my past view limiting me. I want to avoid darkness....seen to much, felt to much, drowned in to much. Better to shine, reborn and new again. Maybe baby blue?"

Sal thinks for a moment, then says, "I'm fond of blue myself, though I wear warm colors better. I think bright colors would suit you better than pale. Grey loves neon green, as you can see by the scarf and gloves she made me."

PM
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:42, Fri 03 Jan 2020.

Mistral was amazed by the the way Lola took command of this fashion adventure, demonstrating considerable actual expertise in addition to her boundless enthusiasm.  Though she was wary of the showiness of fashion in general, she couldn't help but appreciate the finely-crafted aesthetics of the articles carried by this boutique.

"Whichever colour makes you feel fabuleuse is the correct one, à mon avis."  Mistral waggled her woven scarf with gloves of the same vibrant blue shade as her hair-tips and said, "I favor bleue myself, but to each their own.  I am certain that Monsieurs Gabriel and Antoine would be happy to advise."  She inclined her head in the direction of the pair of tastefully-flamboyant 'fashion consultants' presently attending to Lola's whims.

While Lola changed into another outfit Mistral took a casual glance at the price tag on a jacket displayed on a nearby mannequin, and nearly choked.  She gestured to Sal to have a look at the exorbitant price and whispered to him, "Did Monsieur Prometheus provide a budget for this adventure?  Whatever savings he may have will not survive Madame Lola!"

Sal looked at the tag, and remembered seeing houses go on sale for less. But he was long past being shocked by inflation. He said, "he never specified. Now that I think about it, did we tell him we were coming to Paris? With his talents, maybe money isn't a problem."

"Typically a purple girl myself. The colour of royalty, you walk into a room with Violet on, with a dash of Indigo and every eye in the world is drawn to you. Humans can't help it, 4000 years of being told what to do by someone in purple."

She giggled, although it was hard to tell if she was joking or some other bit of her madness had amused her, before she said, Well that and Purple Silk catch the light in such interesting ways. But to dark...far to dark. I want to bath in light. Escape my fate, escape the endless dark, escape the dust. Deserve to celebrate that, yes?"

Skipping over to a mannequin, she said, "White is for purity, but I always found white looks best on dark skin. And while Prometheus is darker then I...isn't dark enough. Heart black as coal, wires in the brain and yet still white skin. But Blood, is blood is blood."

She shook her head, "Need to focus...can't freak people out. Have to be good. Can't buy anything if all they see is creepy."

Turning to Gabriel and Antoine, she apologized and then began to discuss color and options, clearly using all her willpower to focus on this issue alone, clearly discussing Lilac and Lavender and other pale purples that she could possibly use to mix light and darkness.

However as the discussion of money comes up, she smiled, and reached into Prometheus coat pocket, "I have a plaaaaaannnn!!!" Her hand flashed out holding the Burner Card that Noah had given Prometheus a few days ago.

Given the nature of such cards, the odds of it still being functional were essentially zero.

 Antoine returned a few moments with the card. "I am so sorry Madame, there seems to be a problem with your card."

 He hands it back to Lola, looking at her with a mixture of expectation and suspicion.

Mistral’s eye twitched when the black card came out, which was doubtless a spent card Lola happened to find in Prometheus’s jacket pocket.  When Antoine delivered the expected news of a declined payment, Mistral stepped in to apologize in French on Lola’s behalf, and ask for a moment of privacy to clear something up with the bank in America.

She took the bill and pulled Sal and Lola to a small salon off the show floor and out of hearing of the employees.  She said to them in an urgent whisper, “We must speak with Prometheus.  À présent.  He will be able to access his funds, and it would be a courtesy that he see the bill before being asked to pay it.”  Mistral then looked at the bill for the first time and let out a small hiss of breath, pale gray eyes wide with alarm.

Sal nodded and looked at Lola, saying, "Promethius will understand how important it is to return control to you before we leave this room. If not, I will convince him. Are you ready, Lola?" Sal wondered what it was like for Lola when she wasn't in control of Promethius' body.

"I don't understand why that didn't work. Its a standard Paywave credit card I found in his room, and clearly has a lot on it. How did it not work..." Lola looks more shocked then anything and then finally nods to Sal.

"He's not gonna be happy. I can guess that much." Collapsing into one of the chairs she sighed and looked into Sal's eyes, "I don't expect to get let back in control today. No one mentioned Paris at all to him....and this....this isn't cheap.

Who keeps a useless credit card lying around anyway."

Sal looked into Lola's eyes, "Promethius, wake up!" When Promethius returned, he explained the situation.

OOC: Sal and Mist both told Promethius "Europe." Who goes to Europe to buy clothes without being prepared to spend a lot?

OOC: Someone who thought we were doing it to just avoid the Storm. You are right, common sense tells you that Prom should have asked more questions for specifics...

But common sense isn't common. :D

I am also assuming that ordering two custom outfits at a fancy place in France could easily hit $1000, let alone the off the shelf stuff.

Prometheus came too and shook his head, "Okay, I don't recognize where I am so what went so whats...." He paused and looked around, clearly judging the store he was in, then turned to Mistral and Sal, "I am curious....how much do you think Noah pays me?"

He paused for a moment then added, "Actually, does he pay you? Because given our location I may need to ask for a pay rise."

He looked down at the bill, and said to Mistral, "This...this is bad. I can see the full stop in the number so that's over 1000 if I remember French numbers correctly." He falls silent for a moment, clearly checking something through his cybernetics.

Finally he said, "I can probably, MAYBE manage a dress with these prices...and maybe a hat. Depending on the hat."

PM

He nods, confirming what he had seen, "Yeah, lets skip the hat. Just the dress will probably be my limit. Sooooo...."  He looked at the dresses that Lola had been looking at, then realises he was still wearing one, "...This one I guess."

Sal frowned and said, "My apologies, I didn't think Lola would have such expensive tastes. May I bring her back? It could cause problems if the clerks notice a sudden personality shift, not to mention the way you walk..."

"You have no need to apologize. I assumed... and its gonna cost me." He shrugged, "As long as she doesn't expect more then the dress, we're okay, and this trip still serves a purpose other then keepin' her happy."

Looking into Sal's eyes he said, "Lets get this over with and go home."

Sal once again hypnotizes Promethius so Lola can take over.

PM

Lola seems to take longer to come foreward this time, and shakes her head, "I don't think this is good for one of us. Brains aren't meant to work that way. I mean not a shrink or a mind mage, but onoffonoffonoffonoffonoffonoff...seems bad."

Standing up she twirls in the dress, "Just one...and no hat. Urgh, its like back when I was alive. He can afford bits of metal in his head, and works for one of the richest men in the world, and yet can't buy a girl a dress...men. Still, better then no men, or no girls or no people... people is always better then no people. Although I am not sure dogs are better then no people. Charlotte doesn't like me... nope, nope nope. Probably smell funny...

Do I smell of something? Or do I just smell like Prometheus."

Stopping her twirl she looks at both of them, as if expecting an answer.

When Prometheus justifiably balked at Lola's bill, Mistral gave an enigmatic smile and said, "You did say you were 'unconcerned with the cost,' but perhaps you failed to appreciate le coût de la mode.  We could bring her to a department store next time, if you prefer."

As Sal spoke with Prometheus about the transaction and then the hypnosis, Mistral noticed a mannequin in a smart-looking gray women's pantsuit.  Their cabal would be before the Concilium tomorrow and Noah was probably correct that it would be wise to dress for the occasion.  Mistral conferred with Gabriel the fashion consultant, and after a fitting and a few quick adjustments she gave her own black card for the transaction.  The price for her bill was given, and Mistral considered, then sighed.  She said quietly to Gabriel, "Ajoutez l'autre robe pour Madame Lola, s'il vous plaît."

Mistral rejoined her companions carrying two Ciel du Sud shopping bags, one of which she put in Lola's hands.  Seeing that Lola's transaction had been completed for the dress she was wearing, Mistral said evenly, "You do smell like Prometheus, mon chérie, but perfume shopping may need to wait for another time.  Shall we be on our way?"

Sal said, as they left the store,"You smell like Promethius, to be sure, but dogs are very empathic and perceptive creatures. You don't feel like Promethius. Your presence, aside from the biological, is that of an entirely different person. Perfume probable won't change Charlotte's opinion of you. I'm afraid it may be difficult for her to get used to you wearing her best friend, especially if, as you say, switching back and forth between the two of you is damaging the brain you share. Once we can, I will try to get Promethius and Noah to prioritize coming up a solution that works for you both."