“Clothes?” Erica asked with a raised eyebrow and her arms crossed as she leaned on one leg. “For the party?”

Yuna forced a small smile on her face as she gave Erica a slight nod. 

“I’m sure you have at least something,” Erica said, frowning. She sounded concerned. “One nice dress?”

“I don’t,” she replied, shaking her head. “I only have shirts and school uniforms.”

“I see. Well, you can look at my closet and see if you like anything in there. Honestly, I would prefer if we could go out and get something, but the timing isn’t with us.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Yuna said, looking down. “I didn’t want to be a hassle. I thought I had something at least.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Erica smiled. “It’s fine. Go ahead and pick something out.”

Yuna nodded and went to Erica’s closet. Inside were a number of different outfits, each of them grouped together in their respective categories. She gently looked through them as she tried not to disturbed the neatly hung outfits. Taking a few out, she held them up but ultimately always put them back.

‘These are awfully revealing,’ she thought as she looked at the dubiously placed slits and suspiciously thin fabric. She imagined herself in them for a split second before shaking her head. Heat crept up her neck. ‘I can’t wear these.’

“Having trouble?” Erica asked, appearing beside her. 

“I, um, yes,” Yuna replied with a rueful smile. “These are all so cute, but I don’t think they’ll fit me well. And some are bit too mature for me. I’ll look weird in them.”

She closed the closet and turned to Erica. 

“I’m sorry. I know I’m being picky,” she sighed. “Maybe I’ll just grab something random and deal with it.”

“No, no, no. We can’t have that,” Erica said, vigorously shaking her head. She took a step back and looked Yuna up and down. Then she nodded. “You’re right. My clothes aren’t right for you.”

She considered Yuna for a few more seconds, tilting her head this way and that way as her eyes wandered about. Then she snapped her fingers.

“I got it. Why don’t we visit Akira really quick?” she suggested. “Her tastes will probably fit you more. Really, I would personally go to Yuki about this, but I don’t really know where she is.”

“Yuki?” Yuna repeated. “Why Yuki?”

“Oh, you didn’t know?” Erica said with a small smile. “Yuki is amazing at style and stuff. We go out a lot together to found outfits and things like that. We have pretty similar tastes.”

“Similar tastes?” Yuna thought back to the revealing dresses and garments that Erica had in her closet. “Really?”

‘Yuki likes that? Well, he is a guy.’

“Yeah, yeah,” Erica nodded. “Those dresses, some were picked by me and others by her. I told Yuki what I preferred or she just guessed it and then gave me a few things to try on. They were perfect for the most part.”

“But if he has the same tastes as you, then how would that help me?” Yuna asked.

“Oh, Yuki’s tastes don’t really affect her judgment,” Erica laughed. “She can be pretty objective if she wants to be. She picks what fits the person. Yuki helps Akira pick things out as well, you know?”

“He does?” 

“Mhm~. Let’s go visit Akira. You’ll see.”

They went right across the hall to Akira’s room. It wasn’t her real room as far as Yuna knew since she didn’t stay there much. It was reserved for her on those special occasions that she stayed at the Valkyrie base. That was usually for a mission like tonight.

“Akira~,” Erica sang as she knocked on the door gently. “Busy?”

“No, I’m mostly finished,” Akira’s voice replied. The door opened as she poked her head, giving Yuna a smile. “What do you need?”

“We’re trying to find Yuna here a nice dress that she could borrow for the party,” Erica explained. “I let her looked through mine, but she didn’t find anything she liked.”

“I see. Come on in then,” Akira said, her smile widening. She stepped back and pulled the door wider. “I was just finishing my preparations so I don’t mind at all.”

“Thank you,” Yuna said. She walked into Akira’s room and looked around. “Um, is that the closet?”

She turned and couldn’t stop a gasp from escaping her. Akira was standing beside the door in simple yet beautiful gown. It was a very light tan, nearly white, and flowed down to her feet. It was tight yet not revealing. Mellow but eye catching. Her makeup was of a similar thread. There was barely any, just a little to bring out the gold in her soft brown eyes.

“Yuna?” Akira asked with a small tilt of her head. “I said yes.”

“What?” 

“That’s the closet,” she said, pointing. “I keep my dresses in there. Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing,” Yuna replied quickly, shaking her head. “Thanks again.”

“You look amazing,” Erica commented to Akira as Yuna turned and headed to the closet. She listened to the two of them talk as she flipped through the neatly hung outfits. “Simple is always so underrated.”

“Yuki said that it would fit me well,” Akira said. “Do you think she’ll like it though?”

“She’ll have to be blind to not be impressed,” Erica laughed. “Trust me, it’s amazing. I’m starting to feel self conscious about my outfit.”

“Don’t be. You can pull off almost anything. If you can look beautiful with no makeup and just jeans, then you might kill some people when you wear your dress.”

“Maybe, maybe. But I’m going to have some competition. We should go to Yuki to have a competition.”

“I don’t think my heart could take that,” Akira laughed lightly. They quieted for a bit. “Yuna, having trouble?”

“Ah, uh, no,” Yuna replied, blinking. “Just thinking.”

“Okay. If you need help just ask us,” Akira said. “We’re happy to help.”

“Thank you.”

A few minutes later and some more flipping, Yuna took out a simple looking dress. It was an emerald green dress with a long and flowing skirt. To Yuna’s eyes, it was classy but not showy. Exactly what she wanted.

“Found something?” Erica asked.

“I think. Can I borrow this?” Yuna asked, glancing at Akira before hastily shifting her gaze away. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“No, go ahead,” Akira replied. “I don’t mind. I’m not using it right now anyway.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you need some makeup as well? Not that I think you really need any.”

“Yes,” Yuna sighed. “I do. I’m sorry. I don’t really have any of this stuff.”

“No worries,” Akira smiled. “I mean, it’s to be expected no? You didn’t get raised up with these things.”

Yuna smiled softly in return but didn’t respond.

“Erica, you have more than I do. Can you help her with that?”

“No problem,” Erica said. “I’ll do my best. See you in a while.”

She waved at Akira and opened the door. Akira nodded back. Yuna folded the emerald dress over her arm and hurried out, trying hard not to stare at Akira on the way out. 

“Let’s go~!” Erica said as she closed the door. “I’ll make you gorgeous. I promise~.”

---

 

‘I don’t know where to look.’

Yuna was sitting in a hovercraft as it took her and the team to the Hyrins’ “house” for the event. She was seated in between Akira and Erica, her legs clamped together and her hands folded tightly on her lap. On her right, Erica had her legs crossed as she wore a scarlet red dress that was open in places that made Yuna blush just from thinking about it. On her left was Akira who Yuna couldn’t glance over to without automatically staring.

‘Then there’s me.’

She looked down at the plain emerald dress she wore. Erica had assured her that it looked wonderful on her and Akira also agreed, but she couldn’t help but compare herself to them. 

“Landing soon,” Akira said quietly, breaking Yuna’s thoughts. “A minute at most. Are you all ready?”

“Of course,” Erica replied. “Yuna?”

“Yes.”

“We’ll be meeting up with Yuki’s contact first, so we won’t be immediately going to the Hyrins,” Akira said. “Yuki said that the contact will be waiting beside a carriage.”

“Yup,” Erica nodded.

“All ready back there?” Sarah’s voice asked. It came out from the speakers hooked up in the cabin of the hovercraft. “We’re going to be landing right now.”

“We are,” Akira replied, raising her voice. “Land at anytime.”

“Got it.”

A few moments later, Yuna felt a small jolt as the hovercraft stopped just above the ground. The hovercraft fell silent before the door opened up, folding outward to create a set of stairs. 

“Have fun,” Sarah said.

“We’ll try,” Erica replied, smiling.

She stepped out first, followed by Akira and then Yuna. Yuna’s eyes widened slightly as she walked down the steps and looked about. They had landed in an airfield that was illuminated by a number of crystal lamps. There were a number of other hovercrafts around them, all of them luxurious based on the outside. 

“I feel so weird,” she muttered.

“With all the rich people around us?” Erica asked, looking back. “I do too. But this was the place the Hyrins said to land. So this is where we are.”

“I don’t know why their private airfield is separate from their home,” Akira said. “But I digress. Let’s find Yuki’s contact, why don’t we?”

They walked off, Akira leading them. Yuna glanced around at the other people that were near them. She caught the gazes of many of them staring at the three of them as they walked by. She sped up her pace and began walking beside Akira.

“Is that her?” Erica said, nodding towards her left.

Yuna turned her attention to the direction that Erica was motioning to. She froze in her spot and stared.

“Yes, that’s her,” Akira said.

Standing besides a black carriage was woman. Yuna couldn’t tell if she was an elf or something else. She wore a black halter with a split skirt that showed part of the woman’s smooth white right leg. Her brunette hair was tied up in an elegant braid. 

‘Elegant,’ Yuna thought. ‘That’s exactly the word to describe her.’

Everything about the woman looked elegant from the way she stood, the dress she wore, or just the way she turned her head and waved at Erica and Akira as they approached her.

Yuna knew she was staring, but she couldn’t force herself to tear her eyes away from the woman. She felt an odd attraction, as if the woman’s presence was drawing her in. She continued to stare, taking in everything she could about. The woman’s light makeup that did more than most people could do with an entire stores worth. Her white nails. And her soft, glossy lips.

“Yuna~” Erica called out. “Having a moment?”

“What?” Yuna replied, shaking her head sharply. “I’m sorry. I spaced out for a moment.”

“I could tell,” Erica laughed. “Come on and introduce yourself.”

Yuna hurried forward until she was right in front of the mysterious woman. The woman gave her a gentle smile. Heat rose rapidly within Yuna and she dropped her eyes, landing directly on the woman’s cleavage which weren’t the most concealed.

‘She’s big,’ Yuna thought. She shook her head again. ‘What’s wrong with me?’

“Let’s introduce ourselves later,” the woman said, her voice soothing and melodic. “We’re going to be inside the carriage for a bit, no?”

“Yes,” Akira said, nodding. “Let’s go in then.”

She opened the door and Yuna peeked into the carriage. It was quite cosy inside with only two cushioned booths that were quite close to each other. Erica climbed in, Akira following her. After her, the woman stepped in gracefully.

“Come in, Yuna,” Akira smiled, beckoning towards Yuna who felt as if her feet were frozen to the ground.

‘In there?’ she thought. ‘With those three? In that small space?’

“Those three” stared at her curiously before she began to drag her feet to the carriage. 

‘I don’t know if I can take this.’