[PRP] Lay of the land [Ying x Bao Yu]

[Bronze Coffee]

She hadn't been here that long. Not long at all. In fact, she was making her own nap right now, trying to figure everything out. She'd met her sister, and was so excited about that. Currently, Bao Yu was residing with her sister until she could figure things out for herself. The tiny horsewoman, only an inch or two taller than Lifen, had her nose stuck in one of her journals.

Every now and then she would stand there, looking around and jotted her own notes. So far, the scholar hadn't gotten the courage to really talk to anyone. She knew a total of two others here, the noble Guowei and her sister. However, questions were going to have to start being asked. Like, she needed to know where to buy new clothes, buy new glasses and what not. Sighing heavily, her red eyes looked around as she bit down on her purple painted lip. Things were very awkward.

Naturally, she wouldn't bother Lifen. She had her own duties to attend to, her own friends. While they were sisters, and just found each other again, Bao Yu didn't want to put her out anymore.

Bao Yu's clothing looked a bit worse for wear. There were ink stains, torn hems, and worn spots. She only had the clothes she had packed for her study off the isle. So for months and months she was literally living in the same clothing. Of course they would look warn. She rubbed her hand over her face and squinted a little. "I wonder where I'd find a seamstress.." she murmured to herself.  

[chiickadee]

Ying, on the other hand, was incredibly busy. She'd only just begun working on her alterations- considering prom was coming up she had to clear all of her previously queued pieces to make room for all the dresses she was going to create. After all, she had a lot of outfits to make!

At the moment, she was outside of her little shop she owned with Jing. It was a beautiful sunny day after all and Ying had decided she wanted to work outside instead of being cooped up in the shop.

So there she was, doing alterations on a sleeve, looking very much like a seamstress.

saint sergio

:'D

 

[Bronze Coffee]

Red eyes glanced around until she spotted, what looked like, a seamstress. Hopefully she wasn't wrong about this. Moving forward, Bao Yu let her foot steps fall lightly until she stopped in front of Ying. However, she wouldn't talk. One shouldn't bother a seamstress when she was busy with needles and scissors. It could ruin the work.

Instead, Bao Yu took a great interest in watching nimble fingers fiddle with thread and what not. It was always fascinating, watching someone else work. Still, she couldn't help it. She was completely and utterly entranced. Taking mental notes, to top it all off.

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying barely even noticed the other Conquest horseman that had joined her. Like the ghoul had assumed, Ying was busy at work, needle moving quickly in and out of the fabric.

It was only when the ghoul had gotten too close that Ying finally looked up, bright smile lighting both on her lips and in her eyes. "Hello there, friend! How may I assist you this lovely day!!"

There was something familiar about this ghoul. Was it the eyes? No ... What was it? Ying just couldn't put her finger on it.

saint sergio

 

[Bronze Coffee]

The greeting caught Bao Yu by surprise. Honestly, she hadn't meant to make the other look up from her work, but there she was, a smile on her face and that bubbly sort of greeting.

"Ah, hello. I am Hua Bao Yu, and I was... wondering if you were open to fix some very old clothes? They're very thread bare and worn... I was studying off isle for a long time and did not have time to buy myself new clothes, you see.." She motioned to herself. "This one is the one that is the least worn and.. it is still very worn." It may honestly be easier for her to buy new clothing, if she had the means to.

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

"I understand completely," Ying said warmly, nodding at the ghoul. Actually, she didn't understand at all. Ying's whole life was clothing, so how could she not have time to buy new clothes? Still, it would have been rude to decline the woman some sympathy.

Ying gestured to the cloth in her hand and said, "I would love to assist you, friend, but as you can see my duties lie elsewhere. Perhaps you could sit with me for a while?"

It DID get somewhat lonely working by herself. Normally she had Jing to help her, but he was off somewhere and she was left with silence. "We could discuss the details of your arrangement!"

saint sergio

5 years later ... /stares into sunset

 

[Bronze Coffee]

When she was asked to sit, Bao Yu only nodded her head softly and gave the other a small smile. Clothing wasn't something she'd been particularly interseted in, however, she had a noble friend, and her sister had a nobleman as ...a significant other? Bao Yu couldn't very well have them talking about her to her sister, shaming her. Not that she felt the two gentleman would, it was just how things went in her head.

"I'm afraid I do not know much about clothing.. I just know I like things fairly simple. That, and they fit and allow my legs to show a bit." She was a bit vain about her legs. They were simply a family trait and most in her family showed them off very proudly. Every now and then she would wear something long, but for the most part, her robes ended just above her knees. "The details of my arrangement? I'm not sure I understand the full question."

chimarii

It's all good. xD I make you wait, too.

 

[chiickadee]

Due to the mention of legs, Ying snuck a quick glance at him. "Oh! Your legs are very much like-" She then stopped completely. It was rude to gawk at legs, and to compare them to Lifen's would have been an insult to the horsewoman.

She shook her head, waving a hand quickly through the air as if to brush the comment away. "I am sorry, it was nothing! Forget even the mention of it!" A gaudy smile returned to her face as she laid the cloth in her hands over the mannequinn, lining it up perfectly to sew shut.

Nodding, she said, "Ah yes, the details! Such as ... what kind of mends you would like ... additions ... sparkles, sequins, stitching-" She stopped shorted and awkwardly bit her lip. "And um ... payment of course, but that should not be something to hold over your head as a raincloud. My brother and I will accept most anything!"

saint sergio

 

[Bronze Coffee]

Blinking lightly at the sudden words that stopped half way, the horsewoman stared at the other for a moment before laughing behind a sleeve of her current attire. With a little calming sigh afterwards, Bao Yu just nodded. "Like... Lifen? I am her elder sister. My name is Hua Bao Yu." After she said her name, Bao Yu bowed a little to the other. She pushed her sleeves up and then rolled them just so they weren't covering her hands anymore.

"Oh, I'm a fairly simple person.. I prefer golds and reds and black, with very simple patterns, I'm afraid. I never have been one for sparkles and shiny things, you see." It wasn't that she didn't like them, it was just what was the point in getting something like that when you only are usually seen at a library or under a tree reading a book. Honestly, as long as her clothes weren't so thread bare and worn, she wouldn't care. "Payment... Well, I'm a scholar, and as such, I've dabbled in herb remedies. If you need anything made for any aches or pains, then simply mention it to me and I can see what I can gather. There's a surprising amount of useful vegetation around here."

Bao Yu had been shocked by just how much vegetation was here. Then when Guowei mentioned fruits, Bao Yu had looked into that was as very much surprised. "If you mean actual currency? I'm not sure I have what you use. I came here with little more than a trunk of cloths and several trunks of research."

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Lifen's .......

Sister ......

Senpai to a senpai.

Ying gasped, listening to Bao Yu with the utmost attention now. She nodded vigorously as the woman spoke, shaking her hands when she began talking of payment. Even though Ying was the one to bring it up, she said, "No, no, no! You are the sister of M-Miss Lifen- I could never accept payment from one as prestigious as you!!"

She then hurried ran into her tent, abandoning her mannequin for a moment. When she emerged, her arms were filled with fabrics of varying shades of red. "Which one suits you Miss B-Bao Yu?"

saint sergio

 

[Bronze Coffee]

There it was. The fact she brought up Lifen and everyone knew who she was talking about. She hoped that she wouldn't be known as 'Lifen's sister' her whole time here. Bao Yu was feeling a little sore about that, but she didn't let it register on her face. Instead she shook her head lightly at the decline of payment.

"It would not be right to make you work for nothing, regardless of who my sister is. Again, if you need anything, a letter written, information on anything, a potion for sleeping, let me know and I can get it to you in a very prompt manner."

She watched as the other horseman went inside of her tent and then came back with fabrics. Blinking wide, Bao Yu got up to investigate them further. "I enjoy this shade immensely! It's not bright, but not dull.." she said, running her fingers down one of the fabrics with a nod. "It's soft, too. You've got a very good quality."

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying shook her head, not knowing Bao Yu's annoyance with her sister association. "Oh no! Lifen has done me many favors, it is payment enough!!"

She smiled, nodding at the choice Bao Yu had made. "Oh you have a very good eye, friend! That is my favorite one!!" She hurriedly ran back in, throwing the other fabrics down. When she emerged from the tent, she had a measuring tape in her mouth and a tiny notebook.

"If y-you do not mind, may I take your measurements? I am pretty sure I know th-them from your appearance, but it is never bad to be cautious!" That was Ying for you. Cautious.

saint sergio

 

[Bronze Coffee]

Seeing how she wasn't going to accept payment, Bao Yu just nodded and gave a little smile. "I appreciate it," she said honestly. Since she was new here, Bao Yu didn't have a lot of currency, or much of anything, to bargain and trade with.

Then the other mare was gone and Bao Yu let herself laugh a bit and then watched as the tiny girl emerged from her tent again. Standing up, she shook her head and just gave a little wider smile. "I am built quite differently than my sister and there are actually a few layers off in this outfit, so feel free to measure." Her mother often had to measure when making adjustments for special clothing for dinners, and activities and events.

chimarii

 

[chiickadee]

Ying let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. It was a much easier process when the customer was easy going- some Conquest horsemen (and even some death ponies!) could be so picky and uppity about their garments. Unfortunately, Ying was the exact type to push over.

"Um. Okay, one second!" Like a miniature dervish dancer, Ying twirled around Bao Yu, taking down marks here and there in head mind. The occasional "mhmm" or "yes yes ..." escaped her, but other than that, it was entirely silent.

The process was completely with the poignant snap of her measuring tape closing shut. "Yes I think that should do it! Um ... is there anything else you wanted?"

saint sergio

 

[Bronze Coffee]

Bao Yu moved this way and that so Ying could do her work, looking curious about the whispered words and noises the other was making. Then again, the Conquest mare was pretty sure she did the exact same thing when she got knee deep into her studies and note taking. But now she was curious what she actually sounded like.

The snap brought her attention back and red eyes blinked slowly, processing the question before making a soft noise. Did she want anything else? "At the moment I can think of nothing?" Her lips pursed. It wasn't a question she was met with often, and while Ying didn't mean it the way Bao Yu's brain took it, it was still a loaded question. Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts away for later and looked at the other mare. She was kind of very adorable. Yes, very adorable indeed. "Thank you for doing this for me. There's no real rush in it, I promise. Just take things at your own pace?" She would feel horrible if Ying hurried things up for her. Special treatment wasn't something Bao Yu was used to getting.

chimarii