Chapter 65:
It was mid-afternoon. At the Signal Heights recreation center, two women approached the entrance, each with a yoga mat rolled under their arm. One had indigo hair tipped light blue, tied in a small side ponytail. The other was a faunus with a silver-beige bob, golden eyes, and a pair of cat ears on top of her head. "Gosh Mimi, I can't believe how well you worked off the baby weight. You look great."
"Heh, thanks Sena. It wasn't easy."
"And you're sure about this?"
"If what Sienna said is true, it's worth looking into. Raising a child's been more expensive than we anticipated. Noah's in the midst of finding a better job, but in the interim I need a way a pitch in."
"But… 'foot modeling'? Are you sure there's nothing better?" The bluenette said as she opened the door for them.
"Apparently there's a large market for it; and a booming one at that. Now, she said they reserved a room on the east side, number 112." The two made their way through the facility, traversing a hallway of the eastern wing of the building until they found it. Knocking on the door, they entered and were greeted by a party of six, "Um, hello."
"You made it, great" Sienna approached them, "Everyone, this is my cousin and her friend."
"Mio Khan" the cat faunus introduced.
"And I'm Sena."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Velvet, and this is Coco, Yang, Ilia, and Neon. We heard you were interested in joining our collective."
"Well…yes. When Sienna showed me the site online, I found it hard to believe."
"It's okay, we all were skeptical to the concept too; but trust us when we say it's more profitable than you think" Yang explained.
From her bag, Velvet took out two clipboards to hand to them, "Here, read these forms over and sign your names where I marked. Once you do, you'll choose your eye contacts."
"Contacts?" Sena inquired.
"Colored, for anonymity" Velvet opened a case to the rainbow of choices.
Mio read over the questionnaire, filling out answers for each one…until she read the last. "'Are my feet ticklish?' We don't have to be tickled, do we?"
"Premium clips sell for triple the price. But it's completely voluntary."
"You guys volunteer to do that?" Sena asked.
"Uh-huh. If you ever want to work on your abs, a good session will get them sculpted in no time" Yang lifted her tank top, showing off her toned core.
"Don't listen to her, she's a loon" Coco said.
"And she's a softie. You work out a lot, Sena?"
"Of course. I'm a personal trainer, I never miss a day."
"Then think of it as endurance training, yeah? With a little added hilarity."
"*Tsk* A little she says."
"Uugh! When do we get to the yoga?" Neon asked.
"As soon as they finish signing. Well…?" Sienna said.
Mio wrote her answer, "You can count me in. I see no harm in it" then her signature on the bottom line. Sena shrugged and did the same, handing the clipboards back to Velvet.
She looked at their forms, "Great! Welcome aboard… Shania and…Miyabi. What colors would you like?" she held up the box of contacts.
"Hmm…gosh, so many to choose from."
"How about red? To go with the strand in your little braid?" Sena suggested.
"I just I might" Mio took the small case, then another one of light blue, "Here, these will go great with your highlights."
"Think so?"
"I know so" she assured. The others got ready; Velvet, Coco, Yang, and Neon putting in their contacts. Meanwhile, Ilia lowered her scrunchie down the length of her ponytail, her hair shifting to dark red with her eyes, and her skin to a Vacuan tan, like Sena's. "You're a chameleon? Wow, I haven't seen one since I was little."
"Sure am, and this quirk comes in really handy with this gig. I also pose as four other models too" Ilia explained.
Sena blinked several times after putting in her pair. "That wasn't so bad" she looked at the others; Sienna's eyes were emerald green; Coco's were violet, matching the dyed strand of hair that hung in her face; Yang's were bright orange, as she tied her golden mane back; and Neon's were pink, her hair twisted in buns resembling cat ears. "Oookay, I see what you're saying now. The contacts make you look just different enough."
Mio did hers, "…Huh, they don't hamper your vision at all."
"Alright, let's shoot your intro photos. Have a seat right over there" Velvet said, pointing at their yoga mats spread along the floor. Mio and Sena followed, unrolling their mats beside each other, and sitting down. Velvet pulled another before them to kneel on, "These won't be for sale, but they'll help generate excitement for your content. Now, let's see 'em."
Sena blushed, untying her shoes to slip them off. With a tug on her ankle socks, she revealed her cyan pedicure, flicking away specs of fluff. Mio followed suit, placing her shoes to the side, "Is it okay if my toes aren't polished? I haven't had the time lately, since raising my new son."
"Oh congrats. Don't worry, some of our fans prefer 'em like that" Velvet said as they stretched their legs to present their soles. Sena's were size seven, Mio's ten and a half.
"How's my little nephew doing by the way?" Sienna asked.
"…He's been a handful, to be honest. I love him to death, but he has so much energy. You'd think he was a faunus."
"Wait…so your son's human?" Neon asked.
"We were shocked too. My husband and my father are human, so he must've inherited their recessive traits."
"That's remarkable. The odds of that happening are like one in several million" Ilia said.
Velvet held up her camera, taking several quick snaps. "Okay, now scrunch your toes really tight…" when Mio and Sena did, she took another set. "Now spread them nice and wide… …great, now cross one foot over the other…"
As they cycled through the remaining poses, Sienna took a seat next to Neon, handing her a black marker, "Mind coloring my ears for me?"
"Oh, sure" she took it, taking off the cap as Sienna turned around.
"I like how you did your hair, very clever"
"Hehe, thanks. I figured I try something new, though sometimes I wish I had real ears like you guys."
Sienna tensed, feeling the marker's tip, "Sure about that? Extraordinary as they are, having heightened hearing isn't as glorious as it seems."
Velvet took the last set of shots. "Tell me about it. I love my ears, but they're so sensitive. If I accidentally bang them too hard on something, it feels like the end of the world" she chuckled.
"Ugh, and don't even get me started on high pitch noises…like baby screams" the very thought made Mio rub her temples.
"Is that it?" Sena asked curiously.
"Sure is" Velvet said before standing up.
When Neon finished, Sienna did as well, "*sigh* Time for some yoga. Is everyone ready?" she asked, earning nods from the veterans.
"It's simple. While you guys go through your stretches, I'll film different angles of your feet. Just act like I'm not here." Velvet explained.
The others gathered, kneeling on their own mats. "…I can't believe guys are gonna jerk off to this" Sena chided.
"Best not concern yourself with what the customers do, we only supply. Another thing: My alias is Alexia, Yang is Chanel, Sienna is Amani, Coco is Nia, and Neon is Catherine"
"Uh…right. I'll try to remember"
"Don't be nervous Mio, it's almost always improv. Just follow my instructions and play along" Sienna advised as she knelt.
Velvet came next to her, holding up a camcorder now. A couple steps back, and they were all in frame. Sienna was in front, while the others formed a row: Mio, Sena, Neon, Coco, Yang, and Ilia at the end. "Alright, recording in three…two…one…"
"Welcome back ladies. I see we have some new members with us today. Why don't you introduce yourselves?" Sienna motioned to them.
Mio waved, "Hi, I'm Miyabi."
"And…I'm Shania" Sena said.
"Glad to have you join the team. You're gonna love it here" Yang said.
"Absolutely. Now, let's start our warmup in extended Child's Pose with your knees wide, and your big toes together. Rest your forehead on the mat completely and relax." Sienna demonstrated, leaning over while her arms stretched before her. The others mimicked, assuming the form too, "This is a pose of grounding and surrender. Forget any idea that you have to force or hold yourself, and just let go."
"…Oh my god" Mio thought. She never realized her shoulders were so tense; this is exactly what she needed this whole time. As they held the position, she heard Velvet's socked footsteps walk around them. Starting from Ilia's end, they almost silently padded closer and closer, until they stopped behind her. She couldn't help but blush, unsure of how to feel. Will the customers really like her feet? She never once considered whether they were 'attractive' or not.
"…Now, rise up into a tabletop on your hands and knees for some cat-cow spinal waves. Drop your belly and lift your chin for cowpokes. Long breath in…as you exhale, round your spine and tuck in your chin and tailbone. Slowly inhale back into cow pose… …and repeat…"
Sena closed her eyes, letting her body loosen with the motions. Exercise was always her favorite escapism, and though she preferred weightlifting, yoga was exceptional in its own right. "…Hm?" something soft brushed her left sole. When it did it again, she looked back to see Velvet squatting with the camcorder lens close to her feet, while Neon's tail hovered above. "Uh…Catherine?"
"Oh, sorry. It has a mind of it's own sometimes. Are you ticklish?"
"…" was this a trap? How should she answer? "Not really."
"Hmhm, my bad" Neon's tail swayed away as Velvet stepped over.
"…Come to a high plank and without moving your hands and feet, reach your hips back into downward-facing dog. Now this might feel like a long stance, but just breath into it. Press your chest towards your thighs and pedal out the legs, bending one knee at a time" Sienna said.
Velvet grinned, stepping over to Coco next. When they took the position and lifted their feet one after the other, the sounds of their heels made her rabbit ears perk. She zoomed in even more on Coco, every raise exposing those savory arches she's enjoyed countless times. "Ugh what I'd give to be five inches tall under there~." She thought.
"…Aaand relax" Sienna said, sitting on her heels. When the others did too, Velvet stepped back for a shot of all theirs soles nice and taut. "...Now, returning to a high plank we're gonna drop our heels side-to-side. Swivel your hips and your ankles, really get those legs activated" Sienna demonstrated as Velvet came up to Yang next. Her size ten's danced back and forth, giving peeks at her sunset orange pedicure.
"…Back into downward dog, raise one leg as high as you can behind you...then the other" Sienna said.
Finally, Velvet got to Ilia, standing up as her right leg stretched back. The sole of her foot almost reached up to touch the lens, before going back down to stretch her left leg, "We've definitely struck gold again~"
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"So these… 'footboys' just skulk around like this? All the time?" Mio asked.
"Yyyup. Pretty much" Yang said. All seven of them sat next to each other, the legs out before them as Velvet panned across their soles.
Sena shook her head, "Even after half and hour of yoga? Can you even imagine what they smell like?"
"Mm~ I bet your dying to know huh?" Sienna said, waving her toes as the lens passed.
"He's probably been edging since we started. Is that right footboy~? On you on the verge~?" Coco teased.
"…Yeah~ just take it aalll in~. It's like a Great Wall of Feet~" Neon said.
Yang smirked, "Hmhm I think he's ready~. How about counting him down Miyabi?"
This was it, the finishing touch to what she hoped would be a best seller. Admittedly it felt awkward to speak seductively to someone other than her husband...but sometimes needs must, "Well, if you insist~. Ten~…nine~…eight~…seven…six~…"
"Five~…" the other joined, "four~…three~…two~…one~"
"Oh yeah, finish it footboy~. Right there~" Yang said. They all pointed to their feet, as Velvet zoomed for the final pan.
"...Aaaand cut! Great job! Aw the fans are gonna eat this one up."
"…I hope you're right"
"It'll pay off Mio, you have my word" Sienna assured.
"But…what if they don't like my feet?" Mio asked, feeling Neon's tail caress the top of her toes.
"Heh, don't worry, there's a foot for every man's taste out there." Yang said.
Sena stretched her arms above her head and stood up, followed by everyone else. "That was a good session, Sienna. Certainly fulfilled my quota today" she said, then removed her contacts.
"*gasp* Oh my gosh, I almost forgot I had them in" Mio said as she took hers out too.
"Yeah, you sure don't want to forget those. Trust me, I know" Coco grimaced from the memory as they all gathered their things.
"Well, it was really nice meeting you all. And we appreciate you being so welcoming" Mio said.
"Of course love. Once I edit and post the footage tonight, you should see your first deposits in the next two or three days" Velvet said.
"Awesome. We'll be sure to keep in touch."
"Take care" Sienna said as they left one after the other, allowing her to close up the room she rented for the time.
To Be Continued…
