*A/N: Surprise my lovelies; I bring you a holiday gift of a second update in one week. I thank each and every one of you for your support in this endeavor, but darn you all at the same time. Because of all of you fans, I lost a bet with The Loneliest of All, but it was all in good fun so I still appreciate you all. Especially my new Beta Hufflepufficus, who so graciously volunteered his time to this story. Onward to fluff then everybody!*
The day it seems has much in store for them as the first thing to assault their senses as they leave the quiet bakery is the dull roar of a growing gaggle of teenagers, the majority of them various species of Faunus, with a familiar face or two sprinkled amidst the crowd.
Neo's jaw drops and she looks at Jaune confused, "I maaaay have sent out a message on the school forum about this place and how delicious it was. As good as the food is at Beacon, a lot of students crave outside food, especially if it has a comfortable atmosphere." She closes her mouth and arches a brow.
Jaune shifts a little and hunches in awkwardness, "The fact that I also said she was a Faunus on hard times probably helped as well…"
The ice cream haired girl's face softens with a smile before bringing Jaune into a surprisingly strong hug, her head level with his sternum. Jaune is shocked for a moment before shakily returning the hug.
When she finally let's go, she types on her scroll, 'Thank you so much Jaune, you have no idea what this will mean to Suzette.'
"I can't say how many of them will be regular customers though…."
'That doesn't matter, she'll get to bake for many new people and I'll get to see her happy…and that's enough.'
He nods, a smile to mirror hers spreading across his face, "Alright, glad I could help."
She tugs his arm, moving the two out from in front of the doorway and Neo makes a grand gesture, ushering the small crowd forward with Jaune hollering in, "You've got customers Suzette!" before the two, smiles on their faces and warmth in their hearts, leave the small shop's area, with a loud bleat of surprise their signal that Suzette had seen the new crowd.
The walk from the bakery and away from the seaside venues was one done in a quiet but comfortable and thought filled silence. Jaune, wad reveling in the joy he was able to bring to another, and Neo in her opinion of this blonde boy she had happened to bump into.
Entering the city proper, the lapping of waves ebbs and finally ceases, only to be replaced by the din of city waking up and coming alive. Shops open, street performers set up to ply their trade, and restaurants cook for the breakfast crowd sure to come on this day.
Jaune is the first to break the silence between the two, "So…where are we going?"
Neo's crystalline giggle rings out once again as she pulls out her scroll, 'Call it cliché but my first stop is a lovely clothing store a few blocks away. It'll be nice to have the opinion of someone who doesn't work there.'
Jaune's shoulder's slump with a sigh, the smile never leaving his face, "Well, I've got 7 sisters, so I'm pretty used to being dragged along like this." He shrugs, "Maybe it'll be more fun with a cute girl that's not one of my sisters," He says with a chuckle as Neo's cheeks catch a hint of blush.
'Oh stop, you're bringing a blush to this fair maiden's cheeks. How ungentlemanly of you.'
He smiles and walks in front of her, spinning to walk backwards, "Well then madam, I do so sincerely apologize for my transgressions and hope you will forgive me." As he holds a hand forward with a slight bow. "On my honor as a knight, I pledge to you fully, my service today. My arm is yours and my thoughts are open to you my lady."
Neo arches a brow, a half smirk widening into a full teeth smile as she delicately places her hand in his and holds her scroll forward with the words, 'I accept dear knight,' across its screen.
His body glows with a pale white corona, silhouetting him in the manner of a suit of full plate, and he rights himself, taking her side with a broad smile and a chuckle, to which she quickly joins in, her giggle tinkling along.
She takes a deep breath after the two calm down and points across the street to a large windowed shop, 'Urban Girl: Combat Comfort'
"Oh, you're a Huntress? I don't recognize you from school….guess that means you're a bit older than me huh?"
She nods with a wry smirk, 'I'm 23 Jaune, just because I'm short doesn't mean I have to be a teenager. Now come on my knight, onward to clothing filled adventure.' She grabs his wrist and drags him across the street behind her and into the store.
The blonde knight takes a quick look around as he's pulled behind the diminutive woman, surprised both at the variety and the relatively subdued designs. These outfits, while colorful, are far less extravagant than the clothing shopping of his youth.
Neo stops with Jaune still in tow, in the center of the store, 'From here we can pick a section to start at. I'm thinking we start at the tops. I like this outfit but it's the only combat gear I have, so I think another one or two would be good. Thoughts?'
Jaune nods for a moment, "I think picking a bottom would be a better place to start, we can build the outfit from the ground up."
She smiles, 'Ok then mister master dresser. How about we have a little game of it? We both build an outfit for me and then we can get a unbiased party to judge them.'
"Ok, I like challenge, what are the stakes?"
She grins wider, showing her pearly teeth, "I win, you pay for both outfits. You win, hmmm, what do you want?'
Jaune taps his chin, thinking carefully, 'Don't screw this up. Ok, dinner would be presumptuous but coffee would be too little, asking her for a date in future is sure to get shot down. Hmmm…I've got it' "How about you buy lunch?"
Neo nods with her little smirk, holding out her hand to shake on it. Jaune takes the outstretched hand feeling her firm grip and shakes once, sealing the deal.
"1 hours' time, we meet up at the dressing rooms and I'll find an impartial judge while you change, and if something is in the wrong size, I get a chance to go grab the right one, agreed?" A nod and she's off, practically skipping to the tops section. "Fun, her energy reminds me of Ruby." Jaune strolls to the large selection of bottoms, "Oh, I should definitely introduce those two, I'm sure they'd be interesting to watch together."
He starts pawing through the racks, visualizing a few on Neo and then blushing wildly at the thought of her gentle curves. He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes, trying to center himself, 'Calm down Jaune, focus, just gotta do it like I do with the others. You don't want to have to buy both outfits.' He lets out the breath. "Ok. I've got this. No problem."
After looking at and discarding several skirts and shorts, he's left with 40 minutes and a pair of pants with a belt to go with it. He pokes his head up, trying to spot the petite woman, but her size makes her somewhat invisible in the tall racks.
He glances all around, trying to spot her so she doesn't see his picks so far. No sign of her so on to the tops, picking through them and doing his best to cool the blush that is still making its way to his cheeks.
30 minutes later, after much deliberation, he has made a selection he's happy with for tops and bottoms and even a pair of boots. Jaune browses the small jewelry section, looking for the perfect piece to top it all off. His eyes settle on a thin gold chained choker with a little bowl of ice cream for its pendant. He grabs it and grins widely, "Perfect, and 5 minutes left to go. Damn I'm good." With a confident gait, he saunters to the dressing room and takes a seat on the small bench, waiting out the clock.
At the same time, the petite woman skipped to the tops, a few of them catching her eye for a brief moment but nothing really keeping her attention until, on a mannequin against the wall, there is a definite piece to go in her outfit, a blouse to go with it and she's already done with the tops in only 15 minutes.
She giggles lightly and with a little concentration, she triggers her semblance and quietly moves across the store and behind the oblivious young blonde, peering around him at what he's already chosen for her. Her smirk only grows as she watches him stare at several pairs of pants, occasionally putting one back.
She holds back a giggle and slips away, looking for her own choice of bottom. A few look good, but impractical for what she does in combat, settling on her choices after about 30 minutes and grabbing a pair of boots and comfortable undergarments to match in 10. In those last 5 minutes, she goes and talks to a store worker, explaining that both outfits will be bought but they need an impartial judge to pick out which one looked better on her.
After explaining, she sidles up to the dressing room, Jaune sitting on the uncomfortable looking bench, waiting. She sticks out her tongue a little and creeps up on him, covering his eyes quickly, to which Jaune just squeals and jumps a little shouting, "What? Who? Neo is that you?" She giggles and he relaxes at the tinkling sound. "Damn, scared me there Neo. You ready to lose in a fabulous way?"
She flips over him, her weight feeling like nothing on his shoulders and she simply walks into the dressing room with a shake of her head and a grin on her face.
The worker arrives just as Jaune is about to get her, "Hello sir, I'm here to help judge your competition with your girlfriend."
Jaune's face lights up red, "N-no…S-she's not my girlfriend. J-just a friend."
The worker arches a brow but nods nonetheless. "Ok, if you say so."
The dressing room door opens and out steps Neo, clad in some black knee high boots with white leggings covered at the top by a short chocolate skirt, a thin blouse of the same color underneath a half jacket like her old one but a light pink to match her hair and trimmed in a creamy white and her normal necklaces still around her neck.
She twirls in place, arms outstretched. The worker hums and looks her up and down while Jaune blushes wildly.
The worker nods, "Now try on the other one."
Neo grabs the bundle of clothing and strolls back into the changing room and as the door clicks shut, the worker turns to Jaune, "Sir…I can't help but notice that you didn't have any underwear or bras in your outfit."
His already severe blush just deepens ever more, "N-no…I…I couldn't pick that for someone else. It shouldn't really matter anyway right...Right?!"
She only smiles and chuckles a little as the door open again and out comes Neo clad in Jaune's outfit, brown combat boots, slightly lighter pants, a white belt, a form fitting pink shirt with an open brown half jacket trimmed in pink and no tail, and the single ice cream choker but clearly without a bra on!
Jaune's face could not get any more red without heavy paint application as his eyes uncontrollably get drawn to the two small bumps on the tight pink shirt. Neo is giggling rather cutely as even the worker has a coy smile on her face. "Well, I think the gentleman's outfit definitely looks better on you ma'am. I believe he is the winner." She slowly claps for him, "Congratulations sir. Please check out when you're ready.
Neo twirls and walks back into the dressing room to change back into her normal outfit as Jaune simply drops into the chair, slack jawed and wide eyed, his mind blank from shock.
Jaune's mind still has not restarted as Neo drags him to the front to pay for the two outfits, getting a sly look from the cashier. His brain only restarts when they get outside into the more bracing cold air.
"W-what? Why d-I just-huh?"
Neo looks at him innocently, her head cocked to the side.
"U-umm…nothing. W-what's next?"
Her innocent look drops and a more ecstatic grin takes its place and she claps her hands together. 'Dust and mod shopping!'
"Oh…ok, that sounds fun…. and safe….."
She giggles, but it's definitely a bit darker.
*A/N: Another slow chapter I imagine but at least it means that the story will be long eh? I have a super special surprise if we can hit 50 followers by the end of the day. May the night see you safe and the dawn greet you kindly readers.*