14574/Blinking Around the World

Blinking Around the World
Date of Scene:	01 April 2023
Location:	Paris
Synopsis:	The X-Women take Clarice out shopping. In Paris.
Cast of Characters:	Monet St. Croix, Clarice Ferguson, Tabitha Smith, Ororo Munroe

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Monet St. Croix has posed:
IT's been a very simple trick. *BLINK* and there they are the fashion center of Paris. For Monet, it's almost like a home away from home. Somewhere she has many happy memories of. By happy memories she means 'spending lots of money' ones!

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
It's in the afternoon and the Paris walkways are busy this time of day. This fancy shop has assorted twirling decorations and colors. Clarice looks up at it as they appear right in front, "It's open for business," she tells Monet, "Looks fancy," she adds dubiously, perhaps doubting what they might find inside.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Clarice, "Yes, they are. Your abilities give us a perfect way to go around when they're about. Come." Her tone is commanding, even as she geos to snap her fingers at Clarice to have teh girl come in tow. But playfully.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
Clarice Ferguson looks curiously at Monet as she snaps her fingers, "You're not French are you?" she wonders. She follows along dutifully though and enters the fancy building. It begins with mannequins dressed in the latest French fancypants fashion, and racks of women's clothes.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would elaborate, "I'm from Morroco. It was a French colony that still maintains strong connections to the country. I have citizenship." Close enough, at least. She would glance through the things on display. Then at Clarice's outfit. "Do you prefer purple?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
Clarice Ferguson and Monet have entered a fancypants French store on the fancypants Avenue. They are looking at racks of clothes. She looks down at the clothes as if looking for the pink or purple Monet describes, "Purple's awesome," she indicates, "But I'm not a fashionista like you," she explains and shrugs, "Maybe we should summon some of your friends to give opinions." She opens a blue portal next to them with a BLINK! and it sits there like a waiting elevator.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod< "Very well. I'ms ure that.." Even as Blink goes to -pink- away. The way the girl did that was unnerving. But also incredibly useful. Monet could appreciate someone that was a go-getter when it came to proactivity and fashion

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Teleporters are great for getting around things like Customs, and having to deal with with things like passports.

The downside is of course Tabitha is still Tabitha and being broke and high in a different country while being a mutant might cause problems.

It's never stopped her as she jumps through that portal. Faded denim Levi's jeans and an old dull yellow XAVIER's hoodie with text matching the red with midriff and hood cut away. yellow wedgeheeled sneakers on her feet match the top while long hair is left wild with her cat eye glasses keeping it out of view.

"Soooo, like what figging time is it here? What time was it at home?" She's not dressed so loud as often as she used to but then sometimes even she can't wear loud reds and pinks all the time.

Least it's not depression flannel again.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
Clarice Ferguson quickly encourages the nearby X-Men to jump through the portal but Tabitha beats her to it, "Tabby---" she starts to explain but it's too late, Tabitha has jumped through to her doom.

She thumbs at Ororo to maybe come along too, and goes back after Tabitha, "Tabby, it's 6 hours difference," she explains astutely, and then looks around for Monet, "Uhh, Monet where'd you go? Remember the schedule," she explains.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The rapid arrival of Tabitha through the portal has Monet just looking at the arriving blonde. "Ms. Smith. We are on an excursion to try and update Ms. Ferguson's wardrobe from something that is not quite casual combat attire. Your.. Experience will give us some unique opinions, I'm sure." Oh yes, having the poor blonde barbie with them while in a high class fashion district is going to go swimmingly well!

Even without Atlanteans present.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo is decidedly not dressed for the fashionable parts of Paris. Perhaps the Centre Culturel Libertarie-- in a punk revival not seen since 2002. "Ah, Paris," she says in a throaty French accent. Ororo takes a deep breath of the air and exhales in relief. "Well, the nicer part," she amends. Out of habit she turns to count noses. One, two, three-- good, no more than three people to worry about. Even if Claire and Tabitha count for two.

Ro's clad in tight-fitting denim jeans tucked into calf-high leather biker boots. A faded, thin black tee hangs that says 'Punk Never --es' in disintegrating print hangs off one shoulder and is tied into a knot under her ribs. "Are we looking for anything in particular ladies, or just wandering and seeing what Paris has to offer us?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
Still looking dubious, Clarice quickly walks over to Monet to distract her from buying all sorts of puffy shirts and overstuffed dresses, "Uhh, we're after something ...different, Ororo! But time's up here. We have to go to the next shop!" she lets out, "Right Monet? We are expected in London, England!" she adds.

A blue portal opens up suddenly and Clarice looks at it, then at Monet, motioning to her. She doubts her powers of persuasion.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would glance at the others, "Very well, to wherever." She wouldn't particularly care wherever they went or whatever, merely that they were somewhere with -decent- standards. She, alas, did not have Janet Van Dyne on speed dial, and anyone else in New York was only -barely- acceptable.

"We're taking Clarice to have some outfits that do not look like they're purely combat-wear." Shew ould put the phrasing far more politely than she normally would. "Separate opinions would be welcome."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
"Six hour? Fuck, are like things even open?" Tabitha ponders, there is some bleary eyedness. It's probably the last thing she smoked. At least Ororo manages to come though after her. Cooler heads theoreticlaly prevailing.

"We could have done this all in New York." she states and looks back as yet anbother portal opens and she jumps through. At least Tabitha can read the signs and pronounce them correctly.

Nobody can understand the speach patterns though. "Don't hate on mil spec couture Monet. Tight and black or dark green will look FAB on Clarice's booty!" she states and nods sagaciously.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
"I don't think you're going to find much of interest in London, dear," Ororo tells Blink with an apologetic gesture. "This... isn't what I'd call a fashion haven." She looks to the other women and gives them a subtly imploring gesture for some help, and nods approvingly at Tabitha.

"How about we start with something... very simple," Ororo proposes a delicate few beats later. "Jeans and t-shirts. Denim goes with everything," she points out, and scuffs a bootheel against the ground in a swinging kick for emphasis. "They make some wonderful new cottons now that are just as durable but twice as stretchy. Where could we find some here?" she inquires rhetorically, and starts scanning around.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
Clarice Ferguson waves her hand dismissively, "Don't worry, London is only five hours ahead," she explains to Tabitha. She leans toward Tabitha, "Monet doesn't like my leather bodysuits and punkass skirts," she explains quietly. She then takes the group to London.

Clarice takes the group through a portal and BLINKS them in front of a shop in the heart of the city. The green walls and gold lettering give a little class but the street is empty except for some punks camped out there. These young men and ladies seem surprised at the appearance out of the portal and smirk their disapproval. They don't look too pleasant. "Uhh what, Ororo? Oh dang, I wasn't listening. Sorry."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would be -blinked- along with Blink and the rest. That will -never- stop being disorienting, seh rapidly decides. "I would trust in Ms. Munroe's judgement for what to start with." Ororo is the one that M considers by far the most fashionable over within the Mansion's female faculty due to the woman's very exotic tastes.

"We can start with what.. Is comfortable.. And expand fro there as you see fitting." Even as she manages to -not- imply her usual distaste over with 'comfortable' as the sole qualification

Tabitha Smith has posed:
"How can someone not like leather bodysuits?" Tabby looks at Monet like she just flipped off a box of kittens. Also when Ororo describes the KISS principle as applied to fashion the blonde does a double arm sweeping gameshow model presentation of Ororo herself. "Case in point right here!"" she reminds.

"Though we can get bodysuits for like nothing back at the School. Slinky dresses and skirts you can handle getting shot up are a little trickier. The Shi'ar tech can do that too but you kinda still need to wear other stuff for like day to day. Like some cute maybe teal sweats. Or pink for Monet." how she's trolling as that almost evil grin widens on Tabby's lips.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
Clarice Ferguson elbows Monet and encourages her to go into the shop, "Uhh right, it's open. It's for sure open," she tells her, while looking at the punks over her shoulder.

She quickly enters the shop and crosses her arms and listens to Tabitha's logic. The racks maybe aren't as fancy as in France, but there may be more of them. "Hey nothing wrong with pink!" she lets out amusedly, "What do you think, Ororo? Can we find something pink in here?" she asks her.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Tabitha would be given a flat glare that is normal for M. Icy, frigid, and borderline acidic. "Cease your belittling, Ms. Smith. We're here to assist Ms. Fergusin in finding outfits she would enjoy to have." That'st he M they all know and (do not) love!

"The Mansion has a wide array of, as Ms. Smith put it, bodysuits. Most are not made of leather, which is rather uncomfortable, bleeds easily, and chafes."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
"At least the replicator uniforms are more synthetic so like cruelty free. Move my hand one way, feels like leather, move the other, latex. And yet it breathes. And they can stop small arms fire while offering climate control" Tabitha explains and nods with Monet, she may troll the Monegasque woman a bit more but that's the game. Monet is more fun when she gets to that point where she's not so above it all.

"The chafing just requires a little extra prep to deal with. But then I find tight and form fitting way more comfy than loose and flowing. Plus less lilely to get caught in the engine of my bike or other machinery." she goes on with a motion of lifting a leg and yanking on it like it was caught in something.

"Plus you know, we do all look great in tight clothes" she adds and lowers her leg and does a little twirl with her flexing waist ahd hips leading off.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
"I wouldn't recommend over-testing that particular aspect of durability," Ororo suggests to Tabitha. She's found some eclectic looking dresses that don't seem like they quite belong with the other things, and emerges from the racks like a stately vessel with her untamed white hair brushing this way and that across the shorn sides of her scalp.

"Clarice, try this. It's called a sari," she tells the young teleporter, and hands her the dress. "It's from India. The fashion there is much more about color and vibrancy than flattering the body. I like to wear these in the summer," she explains. "They're suprisingly good at helping when it's muggy out, and you can hike them up and run around easily if needs be."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
Clarice Ferguson looks at Ororo as she emerges back in the room with her dress, "Well there's no harm in trying I guess," she says and shrugs. She's not going to get out of this it looks like. Especially since the punks have moved to camp out the front door, smoking and carrying on like annoying young people do. Some laughter can be heard from outside.

"Maybe I'll just dig up my green outfit with no shoulders. You all like that one right? Come on, you like that one at least?" she asks. She takes one of the dresses Ororo suggests and goes to the back to try it on.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "They are very comfortable and light. They can be a wide variety of colors and are simple to adjust. The fabrics tend to be rather loose." She would look over at Blink in confusion before placing it. "I take it that one was inspired somewhat by Ms. Darkholme?" She can't fathom as to how Clarice's.. Very.. Unique dress came from.

"A sari is a wonderful suggestion and lovely thing to start with." Looking over to Tabitha she would shrug.

"TO each thier own preference for their attire. Fashion is a very personal thing and a way of expressing one's self and how they wish to present themselves to the world. Each person's style is unique and something that has meaning to them."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Even Tabby finds a few things that might be loose and breezy. "The colours and design prints were usually to make up for the oppression. Hence why you can get some really nice looking things like that." for her part she goes for more sportier stuff for Clarfice to wear.

With summer coming along cool air. Tanktops, shorts, a few skirts that all might work on a tennis court. And amazing in softer colours like teal or green, even yellow that aren't so loud and go with Clarice's skin tones. The whole Genoshan mutate thing has Tabitha avoiding any active wear with numbers on them like the plague.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo puts her shoulders against the doorpost to Clarice's changing room, partially blocking the door and putting her imposing self between Clarice's need for privacy and the rest of the world. She plants a boot against the wall by her knee and leans back comfortably with her fingers hooked in too-tight pockets.

"I know I have said it many times, but you are welcome to join me if you wish to learn to sew. All of you," she clarifies, looking from Monet to Tabitha. "It is not as hard as it seems, and I have a reliable sewing machine and a surger to go with it. It is down in the crafts room, somewhere that Cypher won't find it and decide it needs electronics."

Hearing shifting weight from the behind the door, Ororo steps aside so it's not hindered from opening. "Do you like it, Clarice?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
Clarice Ferguson comes out in her slinkyass sari and puts a hand on her hip. The dress is PURPLE of course, which she has picked out just cause. It may not be a traditional color but she found it in the depths of the rack. The dress has a deep v chest as the material criss-crosses over itself and loops around her waist and legs.

She doesn't say anything at first but looks at Ororo because she's the one who suggested this dress in the first place. She then looks over at Monet because her opinion is important too. "I don't think I'd look right in the red one," she finally says.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would dip her head over at Clarice, "As you see fit. However you best see to express yourself." Regardless of her personal opinions on any outfit or other.. It's giving Clarice somethign to have control over. So Monet will keep her normal strong opinions to herself - trading barbs with Tabitha to be excepted, of course.

"I can sew adequately. I was taught by my tutors when I was young." However, there is no immediate interest in her voice to continue on with said sewing. Apparently joining a crotcheting club at Xavier's is not in her immediate future's to-do list.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Tabby can't help herself when sewing lessons are made. She shakes her fist at not quite actually yells at the ceiling above. "Daaaaarn thoose socks!" she jokes and giggles. "I've had to do repairs and some modifications to clothes in the past. Dirt poor and homeless forces you to pick up some skills besides thieving or..." she trails off and lets that go. "Plus I don't really have a figure that lends it self to off the rack more often than not. So gotta adjust hems and sleeves." Being trailer trash, she's stuck in that position of having afigure that kinda wants to be a lot curvier, but her powers dend to burn a lot of energy, leaving her looking like maybe she spends way too much time in the gym despite how much she actually eats. The abs she shows off between cropped hem and belted waistband. No spikes, just plain black leather. She might just have to spend too much time working for those. "Knowing there's a decent machine at least makes it easier to get and do some fix and fit jobs."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo flickers a look at Tabitha as if trying to gauge her motive in that statement. An interpretation isn't easily forthcoming and she moves her focus back to Clarice before it turns into a sidebar. She pushes her hair back from one side of her head to the other, like flipping a horse's mane, and smiles reassuringly at Clarice. "If you think you might like the red one, then you should get it," she assures the girl. "But if the purple one makes you happy, then that is ok, too."

Her blue eyes transfer to Monet and gives the woman a smile of ackowledgement. The sort of things that Ororo finds relaxing don't appeal to everyone, after all-- including plants sometimes.

"Let's get paid up, and head home," Ororo suggests a beat later. "Too much shopping can wear down anyone's nerves."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
Clarice Ferguson smiles at Ororo and nods, but actually pays for the slinkyass purple dress, probably because of Ororo's encouragement. She changes back into her bodysuit and boots and punkass clothes, and goes to the window with her package, looking outside at the punks, still camped out there. "Yeah, I think it's time for a quick exit, right?" she says and turns back to the group.

Clarice raises her chin and a portal appears in the room, encouraging the group to travel back to their familiar home, where comfort and relaxation awaist them. The pink woman and her friends use the portal and they BLINK back home, but the teleportation takes so little time, people might get dizzy! That may be true but they arrive in a familiar place, in the Mansion backyard on the lawn, maybe wet from a recent rain, "Thanks for the trip. You're all too great."