It is a yawning but ready Billy who is with Melpomene the next day as they head again for transport, to head to the Mall and costume hunt. He smiles a bit as he glances around, leaving behind the darker nightmares he experienced last night.
His good mood can banish neither the dark circles under his eyes, nor the slightly haunted look in them.
Nonetheless, he does look forward to this and smiles at Melpomene as they head down the street.
Melpomene strides along, looking into shop windows that positively shout "expensive" directly into her good ear. Despite this, she thinks she's going to have fun-- not least of all because of all the coins and papery things weighing down her pockets.
"Going to get anything?" she says to Billy, still watching her reflection pass by in the windows.
"Maybe... If I can ask a favor? I am probably not going back to the Bar after this, not for awhile, but, if I make sure we get a cart, would you mind taking some things back there for me? I can give you my key so you can just put it in my rooms... if that is okay?"
He looks a little hesitant as he asks. This friendship is very new, after all.
He snorts slightly, a relieved grin on his face as he relaxes a little.
"I don't mind. Just don't mess up the collector sheets, they cost a bundle."
Pokerface again. He may nor may not be serious.
The next minute he grins.
"Thank you. A lot. And yeah, in that case, I might get some stuff. When I was looking into coming here, I heard that somewhere around here, they sell these carts, like luggage holders? Except made for shopping stuff. Much more elegant ones than the shopping carts in America, from what I saw..."
He keeps his eyes open as they go. He doesn't like to use his magic to spend money a lot, feels too much like cheating, but... now and then, especially after being cooped up on the Rock and Milliways for almost two years personal time? He feels like it is justified to blow some money. So, he had produced quite a bit of cash for this trip, doing it the hard way to make sure it was real and wouldn't fade, or disappear, or anything silly like that.
Melpomene pretends not to be clueless- she hasn't been to Europe in years and the carts could be made of chocolate and hover 2 feet above the ground for all she knows. She stops in front of Au Printemps and looks up.
Billy, in a fit of luck, or perhaps of sheer chance, finds carts, and then finds some silken veils, of various colors and sizes, as well as various transparencies. He grins and selects a large grouping.
He is looked down on at first by the storeman, until it becomes apparent just how much money he is willing and ready to spend. At that point, the man becomes much more accommodating, even if he and the others still look down their noses at the young man who half-gawks, half-grins at everything.
Billy grins as he sees her go and he wanders, selecting things that look like they might be good costume pieces, and even getting fitted for a sports suit. He knows he probably wont wear it anytime soon, but, it looks nice and the storemen seem to approve.
He blushes and ducks his head. To avoid dealing with that he quickly moves on with a grin.
"Ah, I found some carts and other things to take back for the ball... and the storemen recommended a store for masks, but I don't know enough about such stores to choose."
His good mood can banish neither the dark circles under his eyes, nor the slightly haunted look in them.
Nonetheless, he does look forward to this and smiles at Melpomene as they head down the street.
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"Going to get anything?" she says to Billy, still watching her reflection pass by in the windows.
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"Maybe... If I can ask a favor? I am probably not going back to the Bar after this, not for awhile, but, if I make sure we get a cart, would you mind taking some things back there for me? I can give you my key so you can just put it in my rooms... if that is okay?"
He looks a little hesitant as he asks. This friendship is very new, after all.
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So, she shrugs. "Yes. If you don't mind me scoping out your walls and laughing at your bedsheet design."
... and that's certainly not a grin.
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"I don't mind. Just don't mess up the collector sheets, they cost a bundle."
Pokerface again. He may nor may not be serious.
The next minute he grins.
"Thank you. A lot. And yeah, in that case, I might get some stuff. When I was looking into coming here, I heard that somewhere around here, they sell these carts, like luggage holders? Except made for shopping stuff. Much more elegant ones than the shopping carts in America, from what I saw..."
He keeps his eyes open as they go. He doesn't like to use his magic to spend money a lot, feels too much like cheating, but... now and then, especially after being cooped up on the Rock and Milliways for almost two years personal time? He feels like it is justified to blow some money. So, he had produced quite a bit of cash for this trip, doing it the hard way to make sure it was real and wouldn't fade, or disappear, or anything silly like that.
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"Here, perhaps?" she murmurs to herself.
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"Why not? The worst that can happen is they dont have it, right?"
He grins at her and heads inside. He goggles a bit at the place and the stuff inside, not having to work to look like a complete tourist.
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"Where are your evening gowns?" she slurs, in perfect (of course) Parisienne French, and listens as the tux-ed guide directs her upstairs.
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He is looked down on at first by the storeman, until it becomes apparent just how much money he is willing and ready to spend. At that point, the man becomes much more accommodating, even if he and the others still look down their noses at the young man who half-gawks, half-grins at everything.
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Melpomene comes out some minutes later in this. (Yes, the mun is having far too much fun looking at Dior dresses.)
She looks at herself in the three-way mirror, back and front, wondering what it would look like under a dark sky with a golden mask.
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"That looks beautiful, Melpomene..."
He is garbed in the suit, looking sheepish, and wandering around looking for more things to send back for the Masque.
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"It might do." ... when what she really means is yes, I haven't felt this stunning in a long time and doesn't say that. Typical Mel.
"You look sharp enough to cut any young lady at the ball." She smiles at his reflection in the mirror.
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"Ah, I found some carts and other things to take back for the ball... and the storemen recommended a store for masks, but I don't know enough about such stores to choose."
He shrugs slightly.
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Melpomene looks back at the dress, and curtsies in it to herself, bobbing her head gently.
"Well, onto les masques, then."
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