The next morning Arcadia woke early to Delbert rambling about going down to the docks to find a Captain while Sarah and Jim still slept. Dia rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with thin fingers and pushed herself up with her good arm. She had fallen asleep in front of the fireplace, Sarah in one chair, and Jim slouched over at a desk.
With a single stride she made it over to where her sleeveless trench was thrown over a chair. Sleeping by the fireplace had made her warmer than what she was used to in the colds of space, so she had tossed it aside.
Luckily she found her card in the inner pocket of the coat and she let out a sigh of relief. She slipped into it and walked over to Delbert. He was gathering items and planning on what to pack, rushing all over the place.
"Delbert..." She whispered, so as not to wake the sleeping mother and son.
Delbert looked over his shoulder to her as he kept moving around. "Yes, Arcadia?"
She glanced over to make sure he hadn't woken the two sleepers before narrowing her eyes at him. His mouth made an o shape and he nodded. She rolled her eyes at his oblivious nature, "I think its best I get back to my Captain. Not to mention I now have to go buy new clothes and such."
"Oh." Delbert said, surprised at her sudden leave, "Don't you want to at least say farewell to Sarah and Jim?"
Dia looked over at the two sleeping figures, "Nonsense. They need their rest just as badly as I need to get back to my captain...and get clothes."
Delbert looked uncertainly at her, but decided he couldn't really keep her against her will. "Alright, if that's what you think is best."
She gave him a smirk and headed to the front door.
Luckily for her, Delbert's house was positioned much closer to town than the Benbow, or rather its remains. His house was within walking distance of the transport station that would take her back to the crescent shaped space port.
She trudged her way to town on the dirt road with ease. Her jacket was wrapped around her and secured by its buttons in the front. With disdain Arcadia noticed a small bit of blood had managed to get onto her jacket, despite her best efforts to keep it clean.
"I wonder if they're awake yet?" She mused to herself. 'I wonder if they'll be able to get Amelia to take their voyage. Judging by that dog's house he'd have more than enough money to buy her as a captain.'
When she thought about Delbert she remembered Jim and his face flashed in her mind, drawing a small tugging sensation in her stomach. She stopped in her tracks and frowned at herself. "No. I did not get attached to some stupid land lubber!" She reaffirmed, kidding no one. She growled and continued on her way to the station.
It didn't take her long and she smirked at the sight of it. With ease she bought a ticket back to the space port and sat on a bench to wait. She idly fidgeted with the hem of her jacket, knowing that she'd have to buy a new one. Arcadia thought about her lost solar surfer and huffed out a heavy sigh. She'd have to start saving again.
The ship arrived in the designated dock and she clambered in with a few others. She watched out the window as they took off and looked over the canyons as they passed by them. She smirked as she remembered her ride with Jim, she was rather fond of the memories of her first real ride on a surfer.
"Miss?" A deep voice called to her. She looked up to see the driver of the ship was in front of her, "Miss, we've landed, time to go." He wasn't in the mood to be polite it seemed.
Arcadia didn't even notice how the time had flown while she was in her memories.
"Of course, so sorry, sir." Arcadia replied curtly, not in the mood to be polite to him in return.
She stepped onto the dock and immediately headed towards a tailor. There was always one on the space ports. They fed off of those who lose their belongings to the depths of space. She quickly found one next to a pub no less, and she stepped inside.
The place smelled heavily of incense and perfume, making her nose twitch at the heavy fragrances.
"Oh! I'll be right with you!" A voice called from the storage area. Soon enough a thin woman bustled out. Her hair was beginning to grey and was held back in a tight bun with a pencil sticking through it. She had crow's feet at the corners of her eyes from laughter and Arcadia felt she would enjoy this woman.
"Oh! Aren't you a stunner!" The woman exclaimed with a smirk and wink. Then she took notice of Dia's arm, "Oh my...had a bad run in on your last run?" Her worried face made Dia like her even more.
"Close enough." Dia replied with a smile. "I was hoping to replace my coat, it was ruined with a bit of blood."
"That's such a shame. It's such a nice coat too..." The tailor said, mourning the loss of the finely made garment.
"It's made it all the way from the Garnation galaxy..." Dia removed it, having difficulty on getting it off of her injured arm.
"Oh! Let me help you dear!" She moved quickly and gracefully over to Dia and helped to move the garment off of her arm without making Dia move her arm up and aggravate the wound.
"Thank you...I was wondering if you could fashion a new coat perhaps? And maybe some new shirts. I lost all of my clothing to a fire."
"Oh you poor child." The woman said and walked behind her desk, taking the coat with her. She pulled out a paper pad and took the pencil out of her bun, "Well, let's see what we can make for you, and call me Marge." She held out her hand to Dia and Dia shook it with earnest enthusiasm.
Sure Dia was in one of the most dangerous jobs in the universe, but she was still a girl and loved getting new clothes.
"My name's Arcadia."
"A pleasure to meet you."
She took a seat down on one of the couches in her mirror room, where she fashioned clothes for others, and Dia took a seat on the couch next to her.
"How about this?" Marge asked for the third time. She had designed two other jackets of similar style to the old one, but Dia didn't like them, to her she wanted something new, but only slightly similar.
"Oh my...that's phenomenal! I'm in love with it..." Dia exclaimed. The coat was fashioned similar to a captain's. It had cloth fastens with silver buttons that closed up the front slightly on her left side on the mid-torso. The top had a more modern collar that folded nicely with more of the same silver buttons holding it down. The sleeves had a reversed cuff design with a little inside frill to them. The color of the coat was a royal looking red with black trim in certain places that made Dia love it even more.
"Perfect! Let's get you measured first, then while I'm sewing you can rest on the couch and stock up on the necessary clothing items, like pants, shirts, and...underwear." She said in a knowing tone.
Dia couldn't stop the small blush the crept onto her cheeks as she nodded and stood for the woman to measure her.
Dia went to the other side of the store where the basic clothes were after the measuring. She picked out a few basic shirts, a pair of working pants, some shorts like the ones she was wearing, and then moved on to the unmentionables. To her annoyance none of the garments were really suitable for working, most were in fact rather lacy and too girly for her taste. She grabbed two nonetheless after finding only one sports bra. To her further embarrassment the underwear were in similar circumstances.
"I'm almost done dear, but could you come in here so I can make final adjustments?" Marge called out from the mirror room.
"Of course, Marge." Dia said and walked to the room with her arms full of clothing. She placed them down on the couch before walking to the small circular platform where Marge stood with the jacket tucked at her elbow.
"Be ready to be amazed!" She said and brought it away from her, holding it up in the process.
Dia gasped. It looked fantastic and comfortable. She walked over and Marge helped her slip into it, wary of her injured arm, and had her button the front. It fit perfectly. It was just loose enough to move around in, but tight enough not to get caught in the riggings of the ships. She smiled at her reflection.
"Darling, that simply looks downright gorgeous on you." Marge said and smirked at her own handiwork.
"I love your work..." Dia said and spun a bit, her boots matched the outfit as well, just confirming the perfection of the jacket. "I'll take it, even if I can't afford any of the other clothes."
Marge gave a laugh before moving over to the register, picking up the clothing that Dia had picked up. "Will this be everything for you, dear?"
"Yes, and be expecting people to be coming here on recommendation." Dia said before walking to the register. She even loved the way it flowed behind her, the buttons having stopped right above her hips. She twirled while walking, a smile on her face the entire time.
Marge let out a laugh at her antics and finished scanning the shirts and such, "Your total is six hundred thirty-two credits."
Dia smiled even wider. She definitely had enough to cover that. She handed over her card and Marge swiped it through her machine before handing it back with a smile.
"Now, darling, since you don't have a bag to store these in, take one on the house." Marge then stuffed the clothes neatly into a small, but sturdy, duffle bag.
"You people at Montressor sure are the nicest I've ever met." Dia said with the smile still on her face.
"Maybe you're just a real nice gal." Marge said with a smirk and passed her the bag over the counter.
"Thank you so much, ma'am." Dia said, taking the bag and slinging it over one shoulder.
"Anytime! And feel free to come back!" She said with a smirk as Dia waved goodbye.
Back into the bustling crowd, Dia made her way to the Inn that Amelia and Mr. Arrow had booked into. It was a short walk and Dia found it easily, making out the large sign above the doorway. She walked in, her bag held in the hand of her good arm as she made her way to the front desk.
"Hello, I'm looking for Captain Amelia, a feline humanoid." Dia told the young desk girl. She nodded and opened a book. She looked back up at told Dia that Amelia was in room eighteen. Dia smiled at the girl and headed up the stairway to the first story of rooms. It was a long hallway and Dia followed it to room eighteen and knocked sharply.
"Amelia? Open up, it's me." Arcadia was surprised when the door opened rapidly showing an annoyed Amelia standing in the doorway.
With one look at Arcadia, however, her eyes widened and she stepped aside to let the girl in.
"My word, Arcadia, what did you get yourself into? Where'd you get that jacket? Where's your old one? You didn't get into a mess, did you?" Her questions were that of a mother hen as she watched Dia set her things down and wince as she removed her jacket. At the poorly sewn gash on her arm Amelia began a new round of questions, "How'd that happen? You got into a fight again? What shenanigans have you been up to?!"
"Amelia! Calm down!" Dia exclaimed as she collapsed into the chair in the room. "Some stupid pirates raided the Inn I was staying at. No one was injured, except me, but the Inn was burnt to the ground for a spherical map."
"Something tells me that's only half the story." Amelia said wryly as she took a seat at the edge of her queen sized bed.
"You have no idea." Dia said with a tired smirk.