Malls were a sterling example of the potential for excesses by the upper classes the likes of which had dominated the population of Vincennes. At least the more expensive boutiques were. There were enough places inside the mall which were incredibly overpriced for what Sasumi Sanzo could afford that she felt a bit out of place. She'd only been in this area for a week or so, which didn't really allow her to get a good grasp on what life was like around here. Given that the shops on the floor above were all out of her price range Sasumi had delegated herself to the shops more suitable to a commoner such as herself. Miator was a fine institution, full of strong commitments to learning, a great environment for girls to become ladies and an amazing library. There was so much talk of princes of varying types that the girl who'd been titled Papillon Rebelle had needed some breathing room lest she be smothered by it.

So she'd come to the mall in her masculine clothes, doing nothing more than browse the wares the shops had on hand. Though she already had quite a few she was always on the look out for more hairpins. Better still there was a shop here which had a plethora to choose from! She'd dressed in gray trousers, a white shirt with a tie and her pageboy cap simply because there was nothing else to wear that was clean at the moment. Plus she was just more comfortable doing casual things when she had these kinds of clothes on. So she continued to look through the pins, humming lightly to herself as a couple of girls in another corner of the store watched her with great interest. Unbeknownst to the new Miator student they thought Sasu was a boy, maybe shopping for his girlfriend or sister. Then that 'boy' tried a red star pin in her hair, turning to admire how it looked while holding her hat in her right hand.

"Not too bad, but it should probably be bigger.. and more sparkly.." she thought aloud, completely unaware that anyone might be watching her.

Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it all I've got
Gotta live to win, get up, get out, get even
Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it one more shot
Let the game begin, need something to believe in
Ready to roar!

R A I O N
╜───────╓

This mall had been a great escape for her recently. It was a fun place, which she probably enjoyed more than most people normally would due to her previously strict location requirements. She had also taken into a slight habit of dressing overly formal for such a place. Something about posing as a boy was actually quite enjoyable, and she found herself fitting the bill rather nicely. Didn't she know someone who did this before? One of her classmates, back home. Everyone knew each other back there, so of course a name came to mind. And definitely a voice - Good lord, that was one voice she grew a ragepassion for. Someone to challenge her at every turn, but also someone who she held respect for.

"Not too bad, but it should probably be bigger.. and more sparkly.."

Speaking of voices, that sounded a lot like it--

"No way." she said out loud, turning her head quickly into the store. Sure as sugar, there she was. Like the most casual thing in the world, her home felt closer now than it ever had. What was she doing here? it wasn't summer break yet, did she sneak out? But even then, Astraea was so far away... What was this girl doing here? No, no more worrying about that. This was a gloriously timed reunion.

"Salutations." she said conversationally. "I never expected to see you here, Sasumi-san."

╖───────╓
H O N O O

The accessory shop was pretty much Sasumi's sanctuary from the confusing world her new school and its neighborhood formed. She was so lost in thought about which star-patterned hairpin would be more appropriate for herself that she didn't notice anything about the world around her. Conversations were occurring within a few feet of her but it didn't process at all in her mind. Gossip from strangers she'd not even noticed wouldn't get her out of her incredibly focused shopping mode. Something more intensive would have to happen for that - and to her great astonishment it did. It began with the sensation of a presence over her shoulder that lingered when it should have moved on after a moment. Maybe someone just admiring her looks? Then she heard the voice. That[/] voice belonged to someone who should not have been anywhere near Astraea Hill so far as Sasumi knew. A girl she had last seen at Vincennes, who'd transferred out when the school was integrated. What was this girl doing here? Why was she in this store of all places? Eyes large in surprise she turned around, spotting the girl who shouldn't have been there. Immediately she jabbed her finger in the redhead's direction as if she were seeing a ghost.. and accusing that ghost of murder or something.

"YOOOOU!" she shouted in surprise, then blinked as she reminded herself that she was in a public place. Blushing a little bit she sighed and relaxed her posture.

After dropping her arm she placed a hand on her hip. With a slightly haughty expression she asked, "Salutations, Lion d'Icendie. What brings you here? It's been far... far.. too long since I've seen you."

Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it all I've got
Gotta live to win, get up, get out, get even
Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it one more shot
Let the game begin, need something to believe in
Ready to roar!

R A I O N
╜───────╓

"Papillon Rebelle." she bowed. "A pleasure as always."

She wasn't being sarcastic, but one could certainly take it as such if they were looking deep.

"I attend school in the area here now. I miss home ever so much, perhaps we could sit down for tea and discuss it?"

There was definitely something to be missed about Papillon Rebelle. She was a fighter, and a strong one at that, for a cause that could have shaken the school on its foundation, to its very core. Sure, the White Rose Society was also in favor of the reform that Sasumi was, but there was a problem with that - The White Rose Society was an office native to the school, and that is the reason Raion always assumed she didn't enlist. She wanted to change everything about the acceptance after all. It was a pleasure to see her again and clearly in such spirits that she could muster up a shout of that nature. She was always a rival to Raion, in her own mind. And as Vincenness tradition, she was also a friend. Even the most heated debates and the most outlandish unfortunate tensions between life-time students and tourists, everyone could still sit down together most of the time.

"I'd also like to ask what brings you to the area." she added. "And of course of your well being. I can't have you going soft on me."

╖───────╓
H O N O O

"It seems you remember who I am, and what I stood for," Sasumi nodded in acknowledgement of the redhead's stating her title. Being who she was the most she gave in return to the bow was a slight bow at the waist.

It seemed that the famed Lion d'Icendie was now going to a school in the area now, which explained her presence in this mall. Most likely it was simple chance that had brought them together in this particular store. Sasumi took a moment to give that whole chunk of information some thought. A school in the area fit for a high class girl like Raion Honoo? That severely limited the possibilities of which school she might be attending, so it didn't take long for the rebel girl to put the Lego bricks together. Only the schools of Astraea Hill were prestigious enough for Lion d'Icendie and her family. They were also private girls' schools, which meant that the rumors about her reason for leaving Vincennes were possibly true. Probably even. That reasoned she wasn't sure what the girl would think about meeting her again - they had been rivals, and in the Vincennes tradition, friends. Though they stood for different things they shared the roots of Vincennes. Both had titles from their days at the school as well, which connected them even more closely. Since she'd been given an answer for her own query about the redhead's presence in the local geographic area, she decided a response to Raion's question was in order.

"Little did you realize that the fires of revolution have been brought to the noble hill of Astraea! Just this week I transferred into St. Miator Girls Academy, where my ideals will not be downtrodden," Sasumi responded, then eased up a bit, "Or something like that. I don't even dress like this normally these days. Too much confusion honestly - I prefer to look a little more ladylike nowadays.. which is not to say I'm going soft. I'm just more refined now."

She tipped her cap back before asking, "So, was it merely my presence that brought you into this store, or did you want something from within it?"

Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it all I've got
Gotta live to win, get up, get out, get even
Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it one more shot
Let the game begin, need something to believe in
Ready to roar!

R A I O N
╜───────╓

It wasn't terribly difficult to assume that Sasumi hadn't had much experience with her new school yet, or she may not have that same fire. It would either burn brighter or fizzle out completely. Miator was designed to mold housewives, despite them calling it a more proper ladylike academy the undertone of grooming was there. That certainly would explain the sudden wardrobe shift for her.

Wait...

"Ah, so we are to be rivals once again." she giggled softly. "I am indeed attending your rival school, and bringing some revolution of my own. Perhaps you'd consider allying to the cause, even."

She dismissed the topic by moving on to another one. Much as having a passion like Sasumi's on her side could help, she knew it was fate that they do battle. Student Police Force was still a paper draft idea after all. So they moved on to more trivial, material discussion.

"I can appreciate a more feminine look to you without worrying for your strength." she crossed her arms and nodded. "In fact, I'd enjoy seeing that side to you very much. You always did have a lot to bring to the table, and your style emphasized that, so it will be nice to see what you're capable of now." and to conclude that sentence, "And yes, I do believe it was your presence which brought me in here. Truth be told, I've grown fond of just walking this place for some privacy. If one could achieve such a thing in public space."

╖───────╓
H O N O O

Once rivals, always rivals? Sasumi wondered if that was to be the case between herself and the lioness of flame. She hadn't planned on igniting a rivalry with anyone on campus before this, but Raion Honoo's presence changed things. Resuming their friendship seemed a little more enticing than simply being rivals once again. She'd missed having someone who could understand her drive while not holding her motivations against her. Lion d'Icendie was also one of the only girls who didn't see her as the handsome prince type. That had been all well and fine but she was still a girl, and it was nice to be able to just be a girl sometimes. With Raion enrolled at Spica it probably meant that future clashes with the girl were inevitable. So be it.

"Rivals, perhaps. No one would look twice at a Miator girl and one from Spica entering some kind of rivalry with each other. I'm only hoping that I don't attract a following at Miator consisting of girls who like me for how boyish I am. It's hard work being feminine, and though I'm still learning I'd rather not lapse into my old ways," Sasumi responded with a frown before shrugging, "That said I would be happy to challenge you from time to time.. and help you from time to time."

"This place does have a certain calming element to it, doesn't it?" Sasumi agreed, motioning to the mall, "Though the upper floors flaunt their wealth in my face, taunting me with prices I could never dream of paying. The colors of their outfits are all wrong anyhow, so what matter is it? You're welcome to continue browsing with me if you like. I'm considering getting a few more hair pins for my collection.. maybe Lion d'Icendie has an opinion of what suits me?"

Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it all I've got
Gotta live to win, get up, get out, get even
Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it one more shot
Let the game begin, need something to believe in
Ready to roar!

R A I O N
╜───────╓

So, this was how things were going to be. She certainly wouldn't object, as it was such a gorgeous relief to see a familiar face after a whole year. Yes, a gorgeous relief. I don't care if that makes sense, I'm narrating it anyway. Talk of battle and of aid, it was so pleasant to her ears. This girl was someone she could respect and always expect to be respected by. A mutual understanding of passions meeting in heated competition. Even if their only contests had been political, she knew well that this was a force to be reckoned with.

"Perhaps we will discuss my revolution ideas later then." she nodded. "I'll be taking control of Spica by Summer's end, anyway. First, the Triad, then the campaign, and then the golden age."

She concluded her thoughts with a nod, and then offered a gaze at her... Frenemy? She was quite cute, or should she say handsome in this case? Regardless of word choice, she was attractive for certain. But then, that much was never in question. The question here was if Raion could help her bring that attractiveness full force to the surface with wardrobe choices. Surely she could help the girl find a truly feminine outfit that would suit her.

"I'd be delighted to help you." she offered. "I just hope we have similar tastes."

╖───────╓
H O N O O

A year apart from each other had done nothing to alter the personality of the redhead who'd so surprised her moments before. The more things change, the more they stayed the same? That might be the case here, but she was fine with that. Lion d'Icendie had her ambitions just as Papillon Rebelle had hers. For the moment they seemed to have agreed upon a truce. Again that didn't bother her so muich - a chance to rekindle their friendship a bit more before adding the rivalry aspects. As it so happened Lion d'Icendie had gotten herself into the revolution business now that she had a new school. Interesting indeed.

"Consider this a challenge, Lion d'Icendie!" she pointed her finger at the redhead with a smirk, "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to transform this boyish girl into a complete cutie. You may only use resources available to you at this mall, and you will be allowed complete freedom beyond that."

Then she removed her ponytail holder, freeing her hair and suddenly looking a lot more girlish, "Do your worst, my friend. If you succeed you will be owed a debt from Papillon Rebelle, something no one else can claim."

Ready to roar, ready or not

Ready to give it all I've got

Gotta live to win, get up, get out, get even

Ready to roar, ready or not

Ready to give it one more shot

Let the game begin, need something to believe in

Ready to roar!

R A I O N

╜───────╓



Ah yes, that was the phrasing she was looking for. The ever present spark of combat that would drive their rivalry into wonderful territory. She smirked and immediately set off to find outfits for her friend, dragging her along the way. She knew a decent shop for this kind of thing after all - One where she could fit whatever style she wanted.



"This is my one and only stop." she announced.



Her immediate thought was something vibrant. Some kind of cyan highlight to a deep black or gray. There was a good selection of that, as well as highlights of other neon colors. It didn't take her very long at all to assemble three outfits for the girl - one of them was something similar to Spica's uniform with a more street vibe that was black with a cyan trim. The other was something traditional Japanese which was equally dark but held little trim. it came with a pleated skirt and an undershirt that was green. The highlights announced her features in obvious ways, which was the point entirely. The final outfit was a simple jeans and T-shirt combo, with the shirt being a bit lower cut in the chest and the jeans being red instead of blue.



"Three choices already. One I know you either have already or have something similar. The other two, well, it's stuff I'd like to see on someone."



A wry smile came to her.



"Impress me, Papillon Rebelle. Fill those outfits like no other beauty can."



╖───────╓

H O N O O

Distancing herself from the boyish rebel who'd kind of failed in her attempted revolution wasn't an easy thing for Sasumi to do when there was someone around who brought out her Vincennes instincts. That gut reaction whenever someone of appropriate standing and character challenged her which drove the girl to react with decisive speed. Running into an old friend and rival at the mall had brought out her Vincennes self again regardless of what Sasu intended to do. The political instincts weren't there as much since she didn't have much to rebel against other than oppressively high prices upstairs. Given a challenge as she'd laid down for Lion d'Icendie she was going to follow through regardless. Could this redhead really make her a more girlish looking individual than her reputation held?

The challenge became even more intense and interesting when Lion d'Icendie announced that she would only need one stop to accomplish the task. Limiting herself to just one store was a surefire way for the girl to make it even more challenging. Somehow she was surprised by how readily her old adversary was able to spirit around the store assembling ensembles. Two of the three actually turned out to be things that weren't something Sasumi would have noticed on first glance. She grudgingly had to admit that Raion had picked out three likely choices which would enhance her femininity. Most impressively each would do so in different ways, a subtle detail which proved how formidable the redhead was.

"Excellent! I'd expect nothing less than this sort of variety from the legendary Lion d'Icendie. Don't expect kind words to deter me, though. We'll see just how these clothes truly bring out my girlishness," Sasumi retorted, taking the more traditional looking number with pleated skirt and green undershirt.

A few moments later she pushed the door open and smiled, "So, what does Lion d'Icendie think now? Am I really a prince as everyone at Vincennes believed?"

Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it all I've got
Gotta live to win, get up, get out, get even
Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it one more shot
Let the game begin, need something to believe in
Ready to roar!

R A I O N
╜───────╓

Her imagination for fashion was fairly small, but she definitely knew what she liked on others. This, too, was one of those outfits. Upon Sasumi's emerging from the room, it was clear that the vibrance of the green lended well to the darker portions of the outfit, but it had her thinking about the skin tone difference as well. Perhaps something darker green would go well with her complexion, but at the same time, that would take away the attitude of the outfit and the blatantly obvious attention the green was supposed to draw in. A compromise was easy enough to think of though.

"I think a prince walked in, and a princess walked out." she folded her arms and nodded. "But I do think we're missing something. Wait here."

She wouldn't be waiting long, as Raion returned with a scarf that blended well to the look, as it was a muted gray. It was designed to cover the front of one's chest as well as the neck, making it the perfect bridge between her skin color and vibrant green.

"The green I picked out is a bit brighter than I thought, it's completely overpowering the beauty of your eyes. A simple fix that just requires a more modest touch, which one scarf can accomplish with ease."

╖───────╓
H O N O O

Sasumi wasn't used to being referred to by aristocratic titles of any sort. Being called a rebel, a rabble rouser, a tourist even were things that she expected and identified with. Suddenly getting called a princess out of nowhere was quite the shock for her. Then again it was no less than Lion d'Icendie making the correlation between her and royalty, which might well be a deceptive tactic on the redhead's part. Interesting thinking had gone into that should it prove to be the case. Trying to get her to think of herself by the very terms which she disliked would be a coup for the upper class rival. For a few moments she allowed herself to take in the ensemble in the mirror, enjoying the sight of herself in a more feminine look. Despite her misgivings about the title she definitely appreciated the clothes which Raion had picked out for her. After the scarf was added, her eyes drfited over to its source as she debated whether this was really the best choice.

"It may be true that a single scarf can accomplish the necessary touches to make something less silly looking, but I think that perhaps this gray one isn't quite fitting.. let's see... maybe that one!" she suggested, pointing at a very loud orange scarf hanging on the rack near where Raion had fetched the gray one.

After any discussion of the scarf, she pointed to the Spica-ish outfit and asked, "You really think I can pull off a miniskirt? My friend, you have quite a lot of faith in these legs."

Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it all I've got
Gotta live to win, get up, get out, get even
Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it one more shot
Let the game begin, need something to believe in
Ready to roar!

R A I O N
╜───────╓

Seems her work here was far from done. Much as she enjoyed the outfit, Sasumi thought to offer a suggestion that just, well...

"Neons don't mix well together." she stated plainly. "Especially green and orange. One or the other for something that brightly colored, trust me. Maybe if they were more muted you could chance it, but when the colors are this vibrant you'd just look like some clown without its makeup on."

A bit harsh, but it had to be done. Sasumi couldn't be allowed to be an enemy of fashion, not when Raion was admittedly enjoying the sight of her as she was. Then again, Raion had Tori, why did she care what other girls looked like?

Oh, right, because this was a friend and she didn't want a friend to get hurt. And speaking of, her friend seemed to have some misgivings about the skirt on the second outfit. This, she thought, would be easier to clear up.

"Miniskirts aren't that bad. I go to Spica and feel quite happy with mine." a proud smile flashed for a moment before she returned from confidence-land. "But I know it can be pretty intimidating to put yourself forward like that. That's why I have another solution in mind if you're not comfortable."

A solution that would be another skirt that only covered the back of her legs. A bit fantasy-esque but it surprisingly worked well. A short skirt in the front with a skirt or even just a drape that went to the ankle was quite alluring. The better of the two options for this outfit would be the drape for sure though, and that meant getting rid of the jacket. It would be sleeveless, and function much like an open vest, but it would drop down and nicely cover some more personal environments that some women didn't like showing off. A good compromise for the shy girl who still wanted to try bold things.

"Now, in you go. I'll be the judge of those legs for myself."

╖───────╓
H O N O O

Sasu gaped as the redhead offered her some fashion tips, "Get out! You mean to tell me that neons don't go well together? That's kind of surprising.. I mean, I figured since they're just as bright they'd really help each other pop and stuff. You know, really get your blood going when you see it.. kind of pump you up. If that doesn't work then maybe that one next to it?" The offending scarf this time was a pink and crimson paisley mess which should not have ever been manufactured.

Being told about miniskirts, she had her hands on her hips in something approaching defiance. Sure her ideas about what sorts of scarves might and might not work with this outfit were off, but this was a relevant point. Miniskirts weren't something even most girls could pull off, so maybe it wasn't the sort of thing that would really suit her build or look. Miator at least had a fairly full skirt so she didn't have to worry about her revolutionary modesty. Her defiance was also an attempt to challenge Lion d'Icendie even further out of a desire to push the girl to her limits. At Vincennes they might have challenged each other not unlike this, so it seemed relevant to try it again. Once more the redhead offered her an alternative that would add some modesty while preserving the basic look. Once more the rebel went into the changing room and donned a new outfit. In a few moments she emerged in the strikingly different look, tugging at the shorter skirt anxiously.

"It's a little tight, actually," she admitted, staring down at her legs, "But what is the opinion of Lion d'Icendie? That is the ultimate guideline to judge this by."

Then she added, hesitantly, "Also I think that wide-brimmed scarlet hat there might go well with this look.. just need to add a big feather or something."