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A week passed and we settled into a cozy routine. The touristy stuff, like the Tower and Buckingham Palace, we saw in the first three days. Stonehenge was on the weekend and I got great pictures of Sher and Rae framed in one of the standing sets.
Tuesday I demanded shopping. I needed British clothes! Sher and Rae agreed after I promised them lunch at an Indian restaurant. We took a bus to the closest Underground stop and took the train the rest of the way. Rae got into the spirit of things at the first shop we hit after he saw a yellow sundress in the window. Sher tried it on under protest.
“RahXephon!” I cried when she came out. Rae whistled and nodded.
“You think so?” Sher asked, studying herself in the mirrors.
“Oh, totally! All you need is the scarf.” I said, fighting back a twinge. The Soul of RahXephon was something I had wanted to do. Sher caught my eye and shook her head.
“No thank you. I’d rather be Haruka, the adult. See any red jackets?” She headed into the room to change. Rae blinked, looked me over.
“Go find one in your size.” He said abruptly. I blinked at him.
“Say what?”
“The sundress. Go find one. I want to see.” I nodded slowly and walked over to the rack. Sher came out, handed the dress to the attendant and asked about a red jacket. The attendant shook her head and suggested a different shop. I found one in my British size and tried it on. When I came out, everyone applauded.
“You think so? Really?” I asked, looking myself over critically.
“You’re the one with the voice, Candy.” Sher said. The attendant came over with a long, narrow yellow scarf. I tied it in a bow around my neck and studied the effect. It looked PERFECT!!! I squealed in delight and bought the outfit. Finally, a Soul of RahXaphon costume! Sure, it was more then I normally pay, but to actually find the right look off the rack is nigh on impossible! Thank you Great Britain!
It took three more shops before we found a red jacket that worked. By that time Sher was grumbling about being hungry, so we went hunting for an Indian place. I swung my bag, making big plans for the next con and begging Rae to be Ayato.
“I really don’t think that’s a good idea, Candy.” He said. “I can’t pass as a teenager.”
“I’m too curvy to be the Soul.” I pointed out, turning to walk backwards. “But that’s not stopping me. Come on! You don’t have to be in the mech uniform, although I’m sure Sher would just looooove seeing you in something that snug.”
“It is looser then the Evangelion uniforms.” Sher pointed out, making Rae blush. I laughed. “Candy!”
“Wha…Ooof!” I walked right into something warm and hard, knocking both of us off balance. A brief swaying dance happened while bags went everywhere. I managed to regain my feet and turned.
“I am so sorry!” I exclaimed, dropping to gather up the scattered foil-wrapped items.
“It’s all right.” A baritone voice said. I looked up.
“Carnegie-san!” I cried, nearly crushing the handful of chocolate in my hand. He looked at me and his lips twitched.
“You’re wearing it.” He said. I blinked, looked down. Chocolate smeared my fingers and oozed from the broken wrappers.
“Oh! Gomen nasai, gomen nasai. I’ll replace it.” I said, tossing the ruined chocolate into a candy bag full of squashed goodies.
“No, that won’t be necessary.” He said, picking up his second bag. I stood, digging some tissues out of my pocket to wipe my fingers.
“No, I insist. I ruined your candy, I’ll replace it. It’s only fair.” The tissues shredded in my hands and I muttered under my breath. Kenji made a strange noise and I looked up, alarmed. His lips were twitching.
“It’s okay, Carson-san.”
“Carnegie-san!” I barked. He gave me an odd look. I put my fists on my hips and glared. “It is only right I replace your candy.”
“Sweets.”
“What? Oh, right. Sweets.” I waved my messy hand airily. “Where’s the shop?”
“Over there.” He pointed behind him. I saw the striped sign two shops down and nodded.
“Let’s go. Rae, Sher,” I turned. “I’m…by myself.” They were gone. Vanished. Disappeared. I pouted for a second, then shrugged and turned back to Kenji. “I’ll catch them later.”
“Are you sure? It seems unkind, leaving you like this in a strange city.” Kenji said, frowning over my shoulder. I picked up my dress bag and took his arm with my clean hand.
“Don’t worry. I’ll call her on my cell after we’re done. I’ll track her down.” We walked into the sweetshop and I took a minute to breathe deeply.
“Mmmmm. Chocolate, hazelnut, cinnamon and caramel. How lovely.” Kenji gave me a strange look as I strolled over to the counter. The sweetshop attendant smiled.
“Can I help you, miss?”
“Yes. I need to replace this fine gentleman’s order. Oh and to wash my hands, if you have a w/c available. We bumped outside.” I said cheerfully.
“Do you have your receipt, sir?” Kenji handed it over and the girl read through it.
“It’ll just be a few minutes. The w/c is at the end of the aisle to your left, miss.”
“Don’t go anywhere and do NOT pay for anything.” I ordered Kenji, tapping him on the shoulder. He gave me that lip twitch I’m starting to like and nodded. I ran into the w/c, washed my hands and was back out in record time. I beat Kenji to his wallet by mere seconds.
“Stubborn baka.” I muttered, paying for the sweets. The attendant politely kept her laughter to herself while Kenji gaped at me.
“Baka??” He sputtered. I grinned and handed him his bag.
“When you’re trying to weasel out of a good deed, you’re a baka.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” He said fiercely, glaring. I threw back my shoulders and matched his gaze.
“Who said anything about owing? This is a fair exchange. Now you have your sweets and I have the pleasure of knowing I helped a cute guy get his chocolate fix. Don’t be mean by bringing debt into it, cause it won’t work.” I said. Kenji blinked a few times.
“I’m going to find Sher and Rae now. I hope you have a wonderful working vacation. Maybe we’ll run into each other again.” I bowed slightly, nodded at the attendant and strolled out of the shop. Heading for a nearby bench, I collapsed on it and stared blankly at the shoppers and pigeons mixing it up for bread crumbs. Did I just…? Yes, yes I had. I scolded Kenji Carnegie and made a dramatic exit. What is wrong with me? Oh, right. I’ve stopped looking. Sighing, I dug out my cell and dialed Sher.
“Moshi moshi.”
“Where the heck ARE you?”
“Oh, hey Candy. We’re in this cute book store, about four shops down from that candy store you and whatizface went into.”
“Kenji.”
“Kenji? Good name. Anyway, we’re in here. Come on over, they’ve got tea!”
“Tea?” I bounced to my feet. I have become hopelessly addicted to tea.
Tuesday I demanded shopping. I needed British clothes! Sher and Rae agreed after I promised them lunch at an Indian restaurant. We took a bus to the closest Underground stop and took the train the rest of the way. Rae got into the spirit of things at the first shop we hit after he saw a yellow sundress in the window. Sher tried it on under protest.
“RahXephon!” I cried when she came out. Rae whistled and nodded.
“You think so?” Sher asked, studying herself in the mirrors.
“Oh, totally! All you need is the scarf.” I said, fighting back a twinge. The Soul of RahXephon was something I had wanted to do. Sher caught my eye and shook her head.
“No thank you. I’d rather be Haruka, the adult. See any red jackets?” She headed into the room to change. Rae blinked, looked me over.
“Go find one in your size.” He said abruptly. I blinked at him.
“Say what?”
“The sundress. Go find one. I want to see.” I nodded slowly and walked over to the rack. Sher came out, handed the dress to the attendant and asked about a red jacket. The attendant shook her head and suggested a different shop. I found one in my British size and tried it on. When I came out, everyone applauded.
“You think so? Really?” I asked, looking myself over critically.
“You’re the one with the voice, Candy.” Sher said. The attendant came over with a long, narrow yellow scarf. I tied it in a bow around my neck and studied the effect. It looked PERFECT!!! I squealed in delight and bought the outfit. Finally, a Soul of RahXaphon costume! Sure, it was more then I normally pay, but to actually find the right look off the rack is nigh on impossible! Thank you Great Britain!
It took three more shops before we found a red jacket that worked. By that time Sher was grumbling about being hungry, so we went hunting for an Indian place. I swung my bag, making big plans for the next con and begging Rae to be Ayato.
“I really don’t think that’s a good idea, Candy.” He said. “I can’t pass as a teenager.”
“I’m too curvy to be the Soul.” I pointed out, turning to walk backwards. “But that’s not stopping me. Come on! You don’t have to be in the mech uniform, although I’m sure Sher would just looooove seeing you in something that snug.”
“It is looser then the Evangelion uniforms.” Sher pointed out, making Rae blush. I laughed. “Candy!”
“Wha…Ooof!” I walked right into something warm and hard, knocking both of us off balance. A brief swaying dance happened while bags went everywhere. I managed to regain my feet and turned.
“I am so sorry!” I exclaimed, dropping to gather up the scattered foil-wrapped items.
“It’s all right.” A baritone voice said. I looked up.
“Carnegie-san!” I cried, nearly crushing the handful of chocolate in my hand. He looked at me and his lips twitched.
“You’re wearing it.” He said. I blinked, looked down. Chocolate smeared my fingers and oozed from the broken wrappers.
“Oh! Gomen nasai, gomen nasai. I’ll replace it.” I said, tossing the ruined chocolate into a candy bag full of squashed goodies.
“No, that won’t be necessary.” He said, picking up his second bag. I stood, digging some tissues out of my pocket to wipe my fingers.
“No, I insist. I ruined your candy, I’ll replace it. It’s only fair.” The tissues shredded in my hands and I muttered under my breath. Kenji made a strange noise and I looked up, alarmed. His lips were twitching.
“It’s okay, Carson-san.”
“Carnegie-san!” I barked. He gave me an odd look. I put my fists on my hips and glared. “It is only right I replace your candy.”
“Sweets.”
“What? Oh, right. Sweets.” I waved my messy hand airily. “Where’s the shop?”
“Over there.” He pointed behind him. I saw the striped sign two shops down and nodded.
“Let’s go. Rae, Sher,” I turned. “I’m…by myself.” They were gone. Vanished. Disappeared. I pouted for a second, then shrugged and turned back to Kenji. “I’ll catch them later.”
“Are you sure? It seems unkind, leaving you like this in a strange city.” Kenji said, frowning over my shoulder. I picked up my dress bag and took his arm with my clean hand.
“Don’t worry. I’ll call her on my cell after we’re done. I’ll track her down.” We walked into the sweetshop and I took a minute to breathe deeply.
“Mmmmm. Chocolate, hazelnut, cinnamon and caramel. How lovely.” Kenji gave me a strange look as I strolled over to the counter. The sweetshop attendant smiled.
“Can I help you, miss?”
“Yes. I need to replace this fine gentleman’s order. Oh and to wash my hands, if you have a w/c available. We bumped outside.” I said cheerfully.
“Do you have your receipt, sir?” Kenji handed it over and the girl read through it.
“It’ll just be a few minutes. The w/c is at the end of the aisle to your left, miss.”
“Don’t go anywhere and do NOT pay for anything.” I ordered Kenji, tapping him on the shoulder. He gave me that lip twitch I’m starting to like and nodded. I ran into the w/c, washed my hands and was back out in record time. I beat Kenji to his wallet by mere seconds.
“Stubborn baka.” I muttered, paying for the sweets. The attendant politely kept her laughter to herself while Kenji gaped at me.
“Baka??” He sputtered. I grinned and handed him his bag.
“When you’re trying to weasel out of a good deed, you’re a baka.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” He said fiercely, glaring. I threw back my shoulders and matched his gaze.
“Who said anything about owing? This is a fair exchange. Now you have your sweets and I have the pleasure of knowing I helped a cute guy get his chocolate fix. Don’t be mean by bringing debt into it, cause it won’t work.” I said. Kenji blinked a few times.
“I’m going to find Sher and Rae now. I hope you have a wonderful working vacation. Maybe we’ll run into each other again.” I bowed slightly, nodded at the attendant and strolled out of the shop. Heading for a nearby bench, I collapsed on it and stared blankly at the shoppers and pigeons mixing it up for bread crumbs. Did I just…? Yes, yes I had. I scolded Kenji Carnegie and made a dramatic exit. What is wrong with me? Oh, right. I’ve stopped looking. Sighing, I dug out my cell and dialed Sher.
“Moshi moshi.”
“Where the heck ARE you?”
“Oh, hey Candy. We’re in this cute book store, about four shops down from that candy store you and whatizface went into.”
“Kenji.”
“Kenji? Good name. Anyway, we’re in here. Come on over, they’ve got tea!”
“Tea?” I bounced to my feet. I have become hopelessly addicted to tea.
