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"Okay, Ralsei, what do you think of this one?"
Noelle is holding a dress by the hanger, pale green and ruffled at the high neckline. A pretty thing with puffy sleeves, short skirt with white doily trim. When its on the hanger, it looks nice. Smiling and dipping into a playful curtsy to show her thanks, Ralsei takes the dress from Noelle's hands and disappears behind the dressing room curtain.
She can hear the three of them— Kris, Susie, Noelle— murmuring to each other, but can't make any of the words out. Briefly, as she's fitting herself into the too-small dress, too polite to say otherwise— the thought that they're making fun of her crosses her mind. A wash of dread settles low in her stomach when she hears a horrible rip from a seam when she squeezes her arm through the sleeve.
Ralsei feels horrible for thinking that any of them would act that way, hands fumbling over the flimsy zipper at the back as they start to tremble. Kris would never say that to her, Ralsei rationalises, as she smooths the skirt down over her tail. While she'd like to say she's one hundred percent sure that Susie wouldn't say anything harsh, something within her contradicts itself and she feels a litte uneasy.
Coming to a stop as the dress is half-zipped, Ralsei begrudgingly turns towards the mirror. It's… not flattering. When it's too small, it clings to the wrong areas and sags in where it should fit snug to her body. Picking at the fabric, she does a half spin and the skirt is entirely too short, showing off too much thigh when it gives a feeble twirl.
Just as Ralsei is tearfully considering calling this whole thing off and changing back into her baggier robes, Susie's voice comes from the other side of the curtain.
"Hey, Ralsei! You gonna come out, or what? We've been sitting here forever waiting on you."
Noelle panics and starts shushing Susie, muttering frantically. Ralsei can't help but give a little half-hearted and exhausted smile, but quickly stops when she catches a glimpse of her reflection. Frowns when it doesn't reach behind the eyes.
Susie is trying, it's nice she's trying. Noelle being here is nice, too. She's a nice girl and Ralsei feels a little more understood when she's around. A good influence on Susie to boot, and Ralsei can't help but smile when Susie comes back like a whirlwind to Castle Town with stories of Noelle rolling off her tongue. For a moment, when she hears Susie's voice breaking through the cacophany of thoughts in her head, everything feels a little less suffocating.
Taking a deep breath and pulling herself together, Ralsei draws back the curtain and steps out.
Three pairs of eyes are suddenly on her and she feels more than a little stupid all over again. Noelle smiles, eyes kind, and Susie nods in a way that Ralsei assumes is approving. Kris gives her a thumbs up, stone faced.
"I— it's, um…" Ralsei trails off, looking down at the floor and fumbling with her hands. "…nice…"
"You don't have to lie if you don't like it." Susie says, leaning back in her chair to put her arms behind her head. "Seriously."
"Oh, no, no, it's not that, it's just—"
"Um, that's okay if you don't like it, Ralsei!" Noelle starts, pinching her features into a thoughtful frown. "We can always find another one that you like better, though! Queen, um… printed a lot for you when we brought it up to her."
"Do you have a, um… longer one?" Ralsei starts, straightening her posture. "Maybe in a different colour?"
Noelle turns around to the pile she'd laid out on the table. Vocalises her lightbulb moment with a pleased little hum and wag of her tail, then turns around and shows off her pick: a pink dress, frilly and cute, with longer, almost witchy sleeves. It's adorned in little bows at the collar and on the two-tiered skirt. Ralsei brightens a little.
"I like the colour!" She starts, tentatively. A shy smile tugs at the corners of her mouth when Susie makes a silly face behind Noelle's back as they trade hangers. Ralsei waves and ducks back behind the curtain, shucking the old dress for the new one.
To her surprise, it fits nicely; the skirt is flouncy and falls nicely across her waist, and does little swishes as she sways side to side. It's the first time in a long time that Ralsei's not been able to tear her eyes away from her reflection. Fixing the bows so they're no longer crooked with hands that no longer tremble, she feels good. She feels like a princess and giggles to herself, pinching the corners of the dress to do a mock curtsy in the mirror.
"Hey, what's so funny? Show us!" Susie badgers.
"Susie!" Noelle hushes, again. "Um, it's okay if you're not ready! Whenever you are!"
Ralsei walks out, newfound confidence radiating from the way she walks and carries herself. She gives the three a big, cheerful smile. "What do you three think? I think it looks very nice!" Ralsei chirps, bubbly.
"Looks tuff," Susie nods, turning to Kris for approval. Kris nods in turn.
Noelle chuckles fondly, and claps her hands together excitedly. "It really suits you, Ralsei! If only there were a way to bring clothes from our world to here— I have so many old dresses that would probably fit you better, faha!"
Ralsei hums her assent, sitting down next to Kris. Noelle takes a seat next to Susie, and they start chatting away. Kris doesn't say anything, but stares at Ralsei for a little while. Ralsei feels warm, now— no longer plagued by horrible thoughts. No longer has to try dresses on in her room with the lights off. Everything feels pushed aside, even if its just for a little while.
Ralsei has never felt like she belongs so much in her life.