The tiny blonde could not believe what she just read on her computer screen. The cast of her all time favorite drama was going to be at the next nerd convention coming to town, Texas Fan Daze. She had never gathered the nerve to attend one before, what with her socially awkward tendencies and her overbearing adoptive mother. But, she had to go to this one. She just had to. He was going to be there.
She started making a plan and putting things into place, circumventing the rules her mother had instated the way she had for a long time now, turning to her computer and hacking into various systems and accounts. She purchased her ticket to the event using funds from an account that gathered dividends from several investments and was rarely touched or checked. She also wired some money into a prepaid card she'd managed to snag when she had hacked into their grocery delivery last month. After that, on the morning of the con, she hacked into the security systems and made sure that no one would see her escape, diverting cameras here, shutting off sensors there. Then, she fled.
She climbed out her window and ran for the massive wall that circled the property. Once she got to the wall, she crawled as stealthily as she could towards the nearest gate. Thanking th stars for her tiny frame, she squeezed herself through the rot iron bars and took off down the sidewalk.
This was the most she'd exerted herself in a very long time and she was quickly winded, her lungs burning and something sharp prodding at her ribs. She thought maybe it was safe enough to slow down, so she walked.
The bus station was about three miles away from the mansion and they walk there seemed to take forever in her thin flats. Of course Sybil didn't buy her functional shoes. She would never have planned for Cress to do a slow 5k to public transit. Having her adopted daughter in this situation would be unthinkable, beneath her. Cress huffed at the thought and steeled herself to keep going.
The station was in sight now, just four blocks away. Her heels ached and blistered up. You'll get to meet him though. This is so worth it, she thought to herself.
Finally, she boarded the bus. Dropping a few coins in at the meter, she examined the rows of seats and found one at the very back next to a peacefully sleeping elderly person. She sat down beside her and pulled out her phone.
Watching funny cat videos made the trip go incredibly fast. She got off at her stop and stood before the massive venue pulsing with people and activity. There were tons of people in costume. She saw at least five Batmen walk into the con within a minute.
When she saw three gorgeous girls walk by in form fitting costumes, all looking fantastic and alluring, she glanced down at her own outfit and frowned. Plain t-shirt and dull jeans. He long blonde hair looked stringy as it hung well past her hips. She sighed. Her dreams of catching the eyes of her Captain were far fetched anyway.
She walked into the con, letting security check her ticket and her backpack. She looked at her watch. The panel for Rampion's Quest was still several hours away. She decided to kill some time and walk through the vendors. One in particular caught her eye: a small booth that sold steampunk goods. A fiery looking redhead and a rather large, but handsome dark haired man worked the booth. The man was dressed simply in dark jeans and a white t-shirt, but the girl dawned a deep crimson leather bodice and skirt with a vibrant red hooded cloak that clashed with her hair but somehow worked for her.
"You look a bit lost," the girl said as she lifted her hood. "Are you looking for something?"
Cress shook her head. She'd just had a dress catch her eye, but he could never pull it off. But, she also couldn't keep her eyes off of the black corseted mini dress with brass and gold mechanical wings that extended out delicately from the back and looked as if they were connected to two lovely brass bracelets. It paired with a tiny fascinator that had telescopic antennae.
"You want to try it on?" Asked the redhead, just a little bit amused watching the nervous blonde.
"Oh, no, I couldn't," Cress said.
"Why?" Asked the redhead?
"It's too much for me," Cress shook her head bashfully.
"All of my prices are negotiable down to cost of manufacturing," the redhead smiled kindly.
"Oh, I didn't mean expensive," Cress shook her hands in front of her. "I mean it's too..."
The redhead quirked her brow, almost ready to be offended.
"Too pretty for someone plain like me."
"Nope," the redhead said, definitely unhappy with that answer. "You're going to put it on and wear it to advertise my shop. Your height is perfect for it. You'll look like a fairy."
"What?! But, I'm..."
"Not plain," the redhead said. "Whoever told you that is a bafoon. I'm Scarlet."
She extended her hand for Cress to shake.
"Cress," the blonde replied and shook her hand.
"Wolf, watch the shop. We'll be back," Scarlet called over her shoulder as she took the dress off the rack and ushered Cress to a curtained off area that had been turned into a makeshift dressing room.
Scarlet took her phone out of the bodice of her dress and quickly dialed a number as she worked to undress Cress with no shame at all. Cress, on the other hand, flushed pink and wrapped her arms around herself.
"A sports bra?! Are you kidding me?"
That went, too.
"Iko, get your butt to the changing area. I need your help with a... project."
She hung up the phone, then, without ceremony, pulled the little dress over Cress's head and expertly fastened the corset and tied the ribbons into pretty bows. As she finished the last bow, a slender girl with chocolate skin and wild blue braids bounced in through the curtain.
"You rang, Scarlet?" She smiled at Cress.
"Cress, Iko. Iko, Cress," Scarlet made quick introductions. "Iko, I need you to work your magic on Cress's hair. She's modeling this dress for me at the con today."
Iko rubbed her hands together excitedly and Cress shivered nervously as Iko approached.
In ten minutes, her long hair was styled into pretty smooth waves and tucked into a faux bob. She looked like she'd stepped out of the 1920s. As she marveled at her own reflection while the other two girls applied makeup to her face, she heard the voice she'd been hoping to find today.
"Cinder, come on! I was just teasing. Don't take things so seriously."
"It wasn't funny, Carswell," replied a familiar female voice, Lihn Cinder. His costar. "If you pull something like that again I'll hit you so hard you might actually develop a real sense of humor."