Spoiled
Syndra hated shopping. As if buying clothes that she didn't like wasn't enough to annoy the sovereign, there just had to be salesmen involved in the mix. People who's job it was to be annoying. On top of it all, the fact that both Irelia and Miss Fortune insisted on "advising" her as to what she should wear did anything but placate the mage. At the end of the day, Syndra was left helpless as she was dragged from store to store, getting tossed in and out of a countless number of outfits all the while being harassed by countless salesmen that all insisted that they knew better than her what it was that she wanted.
"Oh, Irelia, this store has the cutest mini-shorts ever!" Miss Fortune gushed.
Irelia, however, remained skeptical.
"Mini-shorts?" Irelia echoed, "I don't know about that..."
Glancing behind her, Irelia caught a glimpse of Syndra who was dragging her feet behind them; acting as though their shopping trip was the single most painful experience she had ever undergone in her entire life. If the mage wasn't as grown as she was, she could have easily passed as a grumpy child that was far too upset with having to go shopping.
"Oh c'mon..." Miss Fortune pressured, "She would look so hot in one... Think about all that skin... mmmmmm..."
Irelia stiffened slightly as Miss Fortuned continued to make her hungry noises. On one hand, seeing Syndra clad in such clothes certainly sounded... appealing... on the other hand Syndra would definitely not want to wear such a thing.
"I think we should just... pass..." Irelia finally decided, sounding rather reluctant with her own choice.
"Awww..." Sarah sounded, visibly disappointed with the fact that she wouldn't see Syndra clad in such revealing clothes.
"Let's try dresses?" Irelia suggested tentatively. "She didn't like anything we had her try at the other stores..."
Turning around, Sarah called out to the sovereign lagging behind them.
"Hey Syndra, how about some dresses?" the pirate hunter called out hopefully.
Syndra grumbled an inaudible, but clearly angry response.
"Can't hear ya!" Miss Fortune called back immediately, sounding completely unworried with Syndra's attitude.
"I SAID I WON'T WEAR ANYTHING YOU SUGGEST, WHORE." Syndra finally yelled in a voice that reverberated off of the walls of the shopping square they were in.
Her yelling drew the stares of everyone within earshot.
Syndra glanced about briefly as she noticed everyone staring at her.
"WHAT!? DO YOU ALL WANT TO DIE TOO!?" Syndra yelled in a more threatening tone.
Instantly, everyone in the square turned away and hurried about their business; eager to escape the wrath of the dark sovereign.
"Hmph..." Syndra grunted and folded her arms tightly about her chest.
"She seems... really on edge..." Miss Fortune whispered to Irelia.
The warrior paused briefly to glance at the mage. It was easy to see that Syndra was brimming with anger and more than ready to explode. Irelia made a pained expression before turning around and walking back to Syndra's side. The Ionian warrior did nothing. Choosing to silently wrap her arms about the mage in a gentle embrace as oppose to speaking out with words.
"Last one... Okay?" Irelia whispered quietly into the mage's ear.
Syndra stiffened slightly and her forehead wrinkled slightly.
"Promise?" Syndra murmured, sounding unconvinced.
"Promise." Irelia affirmed with a small smile on her face.
Syndra frowned and allowed her frustration to visibly cover her face.
"You choose everything!" Irelia quickly added, hoping to encourage Syndra to continue onwards.
Finally, Syndra let out another frustrated grunt.
"Fine." Syndra muttered darkly through gritted teeth.
Satisfied with that response, Irelia gave Syndra a brief squeeze before releasing the mage and moving back up to the waiting Miss Fortune.
"Well girl, where are we off to?" Miss Fortune quipped, eager to proceed to their next destination.
Irelia, however, shook her head before speaking up.
"She's choosing." Irelia replied bluntly.
Sarah immediately opened her mouth to protest, but Irelia cut her off.
"C'mon Serah, trust her to make her own decisions..." Irelia chided lightly.
"But she'll choose to just buy something ugly!" Sarah whined, "Or worse yet, she will choose not to buy anything at all!"
Irelia rolled her eyes before answering.
"She's got good taste." The warrior replied, completely unworried.
"But-"
"Oh stop it, Sarah." Irelia interrupted with a mildly annoyed tone, "just let her pick, you've put her through enough... revealing... outfits..."
"Oh c'mon, don't tell me you didn't want to see her in a mini-skirt..." Miss Fortune taunted.
Irelia's cheeks pinked slightly, but she turned away and covered her embarrassment with a cough. Realistically, the mini-skirt outfit Miss Fortune practically shoved Syndra into was to the very least, very sexy. Even the salesman that attempted to encourage her to purchase it was drooling over her. Her cheeks flushing even more, Irelia shook her head and dispelled the cloud of embarrassment settling over her. As though fate wanted her to encourage her to forgo the notion, the warrior then quickly recalled the events that followed after Syndra was thrown into such an outfit. Namely, the angry tirade of verbal abuse along with the very serious threat to obliterate the store along with everyone inside it.
"She gets to choose." Irelia finally stated firmly.
"Ugh... fine..." Sarah finally answered in defeat.
Moving slightly to the side, Miss Fortune finally gave way to Syndra's meandering lead.
"All yours..." Sarah murmured as the sovereign strode past her.
Her words earned her a heated glare from the already annoyed mage.
At long last, Syndra took the reigns to her own shopping trip. It didn't take long before something finally piqued her rare interest.
It was a dress store. A very small one at that. So small in fact that it was far too easy to miss from its hidden position behind several other stores that flared out in front of it.
Why did Syndra know about this particular store?
It was the only store that carried items the sovereign would even consider buying.
Temporarily forgetting her previous frustration, a small smile spread across the sovereign's face as she slowly made her way into the secluded store.
Sarah and Irelia trailed the sovereign into the store, neither one mustering the will to speak up. It wasn't until the two had entered the small store that Sarah finally broke the silence.
"Holy..." Miss Fortune muttered under her breath.
Although the store was small and difficult to see from the outside, the inside of the store was surprisingly large.
Large.
And filled with an extravagant array of dresses.
Before either Irelia or Sarah could even bother Syndra as to how she discovered the store, the single store owner stepped out from behind the front desk and greeted the mage.
"I am honored by your presence, sovereign." The man called out, bowing slightly in acknowledgement of the mage.
Syndra turned and gave the man a curt nod before floating off into the maze of dresses.
Irelia blinked at the exchange of greetings; subtly impressed by the man's ability to handle Syndra without angering her in any way. He even knew well enough not to offer assistance until it was requested.
As Syndra disappeared into the depths of the store, the owner turned and greeted both Irelia and Miss Fortune.
"Ah! I have two more customers!" He exclaimed and bustled forward, "How may I help you ladies today?"
"Uhhmmm... We're just..." Irelia started, but Sarah interrupted her.
"This place is amazing!" The pirate hunter exclaimed.
The owner laughed and glanced at the pirate hunter.
"I'm glad it is to your liking!" He answered with a large smile on his face. "I'm Keith by the way, it would be my pleasure to assist you."
Before any of them could continue their conversation, a muted voice called out from within the depths of the store.
"Plaything!" Syndra's muffled voiced sounded out.
The store owner blinked in surprise and glanced at both Sarah and Irelia. It was clear he had never heard Syndra's nickname for Irelia, nor did he ever expect Syndra to ever call someone by such an endearing term.
Irelia's cheeks blushed slightly as she pursed her lips with shy embarrassment.
"Excuse me..." Irelia finally muttered and shuffled away.
Keith gawked openly. Turning his gaze to Miss Fortune, he silently conveyed his questions to the pirate hunter.
"Yup." Miss Fortune immediately quipped in response, an expression of hungry curiosity painting her face.
"Never would have imagined..." Keith commented with clear amazement.
Miss Fortune chuckled in response before quietly following in Irelia's footsteps. Keith too didn't waste anytime in trailing the two women.
Finding Syndra amidst the maze of dresses turned out to be a far more difficult task than Irelia had expected. In fact, it wasn't until Syndra bodily reached out and snatched Irelia's arm that the Ionian warrior finally came to a halt in her tedious search.
"Oh there you are. I was- MMPH!" Irelia's voice cut out as Syndra clamped a hand over her mouth.
Without saying a word, Syndra pulled the warrior into one of the various coat racks lining the side of the aisle they were in; hiding both of them from view.
Not a moment too soon.
Seconds later, both Keith and Miss Fortune strolled by. Both of them looked confused as to where the pair of Ionians could have possibly disappeared to. After they had passed, Syndra allowed Irelia to push her way out of the rack.
"What was that-" Irelia started, but was immediately cut off again as Syndra pushed her in the opposite direction that Miss Fortune and Keith and gone.
"Wait, Syndra... where are we going?" Irelia blubbered as Syndra continued to push the warrior in what appeared to be a random direction.
One minute later, however, Irelia finally discovered Syndra's objective. It was the dressing room.
"Wait here." Syndra ordered bluntly and pushed passed the warrior before disappearing into the room.
"All that effort just for that?..." Irelia muttered to herself.
After a few minutes, however, Irelia finally discovered why it was that Syndra desired her privacy.
With clear hesitation, Syndra emerged from the room, completely dressed in new attire. No longer dressed in her classic purple skirt and corset, the mage glance about shyly; making sure that no one other than Irelia would be around to see her. At long last, Syndra completely pushed herself out of the room; standing in full view of Irelia's eyes.
Irelia blinked and tried to speak, but words failed her. The sovereign was hardly recognizable in her new dress. Clad in a black silken dress with silver linings that complemented the full curves of her body, the mage looked but of a shadow of her former self. The dress itself fit the mage flawlessly. It was a simple dress, really. It ran a clasp around the the mage's neck; leaving both shoulders along with her upper back exposed. The dress continued downwards from a tight, form fitting upper half, to a loose, flowing bottom. The dress ran a single long cut along one side of the leg, allowing for a periodic, revealing, glimpse of the mage's right leg as she walked.
With uncharacteristic shyness, Syndra flicked her eyes up to Irelia before quickly looking away once more.
"Well...?" Syndra questioned as she bit her lip, sounding almost fearful of Irelia's opinion.
"G-g-..." Irelia stuttered before finally clearing her throat and getting her words straight, "Gorgeous..." she finally managed to say.
Instantly, a smile spread across the mage's face.
"You think so?" Syndra questioned again shyly.
"You look amazing..." Irelia affirmed, finally regaining her speech.
Syndra grinned winningly at that, but her pleasure quickly evaporated the moment Miss Fortune rounded a corner and caught a glimpse of her.
"HOLY GOD! WHO IS THAT?!" Sarah practically yelled the moment she spotted the sovereign.
Without bothering to give any sign of forewarning, Syndra swung a hand in Miss Fortune's direction, releasing a wave of energy that tossed the unsuspecting pirate hunter away before she could get a better look at the mage. Before the pirate hunter could recover, Syndra fled into the safety of the dressing room before promptly locking the door behind her.
"Aww! C'mon! Lemme SEE!" Sarah cried out beggingly as she scrambled to her feet.
"Oh shut up Sarah..." Irelia answered the pirate hunter, "Why can't you just leave her alone, you've harassed her enough for today..."
"That's not fair! You get to see everything!" Miss Fortune pouted, "Why can't I have a piece?" She continued whining.
"Syndra isn't a piece of cake that you can 'have a piece of' "Irelia snapped back indignantly.
"But she's so delicious!" Serah complained.
"Sarah, I'm warning you..." Irelia stated flatly.
"Ooooh! Getting defensive are we?" Miss Fortune teased jokingly.
Before Irelia could fight back, Syndra reemerged from the dressing room; dressed back in her classic attire. Without saying a word, Syndra swiftly strode over to Irelia's side, grabbed her by the wrist, and began pulling her away. The whole time, she pretended as though Sarah wasn't even there.
"AWWW C'MON! I was just kidding!" Sarah cried out after them and hurried after the pair of Ionians...
At the end of the day, Syndra ended up purchasing a surprisingly large number of new dresses. What was even more surprising was the fact that Keith didn't insist on pressuring the mage with any prices.
As the trio of women approached the front register, Keith merely nodded at the sovereign and spoke out in a respectful tone.
"Thank you for your business, sovereign." He said, averting his eyes as to not meet Syndra's directly.
"Hmph." Syndra responded and started out the door.
"Wait, Syndra, aren't you going to pay for those?" Irelia called out after the mage.
Both Keith and Syndra stiffened at her words.
"I don't have to." Syndra finally replied with an obnoxious tone of superiority.
"I... but... why not?" Irelia blundered cluelessly.
"No, no... it's okay." Keith added in meekly.
"See?" Syndra spoke up smugly at Irelia.
After a few seconds, the truth finally dawned on the warrior and she rolled her eyes with slight exasperation.
"Syndra, you can't just rob people like that..." Irelia chided.
Syndra blinked and frowned.
"Why not?" The mage questioned, "He gave his consent."
Irelia sighed and rolled her eyes again.
"Giving consent after you threaten to flatten him with your magic isn't consent!" Irelia insisted, "That's like robbery!"
"What's the difference?" Syndra questioned blankly, "He agreed to it anyway."
"It's really okay..." Keith started up again sounding even more meek than before.
"Ugh." Irelia snorted, "I'll pay for it then. How much is it?"
"Well... normally it would be seven-" Keith started, but immediately changed his pricing after receiving a deathly glare from Syndra, "I mean two hundred..."
Irelia turned and gave Syndra an exasperated stare.
Syndra responded by giving Irelia a childishly winning smile.
"Syndra..." Irelia finally spoke up in an almost annoyed voice that was characteristic of one that an adult might use when reprimanding a child.
"Hmph." Syndra grunted and turned away before striding out the door without a backwards glance.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Irelia spoke up again.
"Sorry about that..." Irelia muttered as she turned back to Keith.
"Oh no... don't worry about it... The Institute pays the difference for her... shopping..." Keith managed to stammer.
"How much was it again?" Irelia inquired.
"Two hundred..." Keith answered meekly.
Irelia rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip.
"Relax, I'll pay the full price..." Irelia stated somewhat flatly.
"Oh... you really don't have to..." Keith murmured.
Irelia shook her head in exasperation before pulling out seven hundred dollars out of her wallet and laying the money down on the table before turning away and exiting the store without a backwards glance. By the time she got out, Syndra was already half way down the street out of the shopping square. Irelia let out another exasperated sigh.
Another thing had been added to her ever growing list of things to teach Syndra before they left for Ionia.
Worse yet, she only had one day left.
Author's Notes:
Slightly shorter chapter this time, mostly because I'm preparing to head out and visit some family over this winter break. Next chapter will be slightly delayed, but it will be no where near as long a wait as the previous one. I'm already working on the next chapter so it will be just a matter of finding time to upload it among the time i spend with my family.
Other things aside, I have finalized the plot line for this story. Turns out it's going to be a whole lot longer than I expected it to be. Hopefully that is a good thing. In other news that pertain to this story, I am trying to slow things down a little bit in preparation for how I plan to build the next few chapters of the story; namely building up a stronger relationship between these two. After that, things will pick up and we can toss some action into the mix.
As always, thank you all for your continued support and a special thank you to all of you who have left any kind of criticism for my writing. Hope to see you all in the chapters to come!