A different kind of fashion (Echizen / Komachi)

林 越前
Today hadn't begun extraordinarily by any circumstances. There had been stacks upon stacks of orders and bills to catalog coupled with an almost ceaseless wave of reservations to manage with no end left in sight until the tap of her uncle's hand on her shoulder relieved her from the frantic dance of the morning shift. A sigh breached Echizen's lips, followed by stillness. Peace. The adrenaline slowed, winded its way out of her system, and allowed her breath the time to return to her. She checked a mirror and paused in disgust. Her hair was a mess, and her face was currently no better. The utter lack of make-up and the disgustingly tight bun she had to pull her hair into had left her feeling naked, exposed and unrecognizable, and the stick of the onsen steam on her uniform felt suffocating against her skin. The sudden cascade of steaming water from the shower head snapped the girl from her daze, the morning washing away in the gentle rain. Another alarm chimed, but this time with the gentle tones of a calm and relaxed synthesizer. Echizen wrapped her hair in a towel, shrugging a robe over her shoulders. A quick glance at her phone confirmed her schedule for the day. 45 minutes later the girl slid the door of the onsen closed behind her, bidding her aunt and uncle a warm farewell before catching her bus into town for the day. The theatre building towered before the girl as entered the campus. She had been asked by a teacher to aid the costuming department for an upcoming production, but their conversation had been cut short by the lunch bell. Nonetheless, Echizen had shown up on the promised day, and had at least brought a few sketchbooks with her in case things went south. She wondered briefly if it was a little rude to assume she didn't need to bring anything to sew, but she reminded herself that the costume department was probably very well equipped in terms of it's workspace. She gently pushed the front doors forwards and stood in the entrance hall of the building, turning her attention to a map on the wall. She was too focused on her attempt to find where she was supposed to go that she didn't hear the sounds of footsteps approaching.
388 WORDS WC Purpose NOTES AND TAGS Komachi Ikezawa

credit to alisha of adoxography.

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

Agility.

Of the many business concepts that Komachi's father tried to impart on her, it was the concept of agility when handling a task where the requirements were rapidly-changing. And it was that concept drilled into the heiress that allowed her to keep her cool as the demands of the Theatre department continued to pour in.

This time it was a series of sudden and drastic changes to the casting, to which the dark-haired seamstress found herself uninterested in why. Since the costumes were custom-tailoired as assignment to the Fashion Design department, this precipitated into a series of alterations that were needed to fit the new actors, with some needing new costumes made altogether. The lack of communication didn't help either, and it took some metaphorical arm twisting on Komachi's part to get the correct measurements.

Perhaps fitting then, that out of all the Fashion Design students who were a part of the production, it Komachi, not her senpai, who was informed that one Hayashi Echizen was going to be joining them for the afternoon. As for why, Komachi wasn't able to wrangle; but in the end, she knew she had more important things to worry about.

Komachi's phone pulsed strongly within her jacket, reminding the girl that it was time to bring in the day's guest only to be brusquely silenced by a swift pat on the pocket that held it. Raising a hand, the tailor signaled to her group that she would return shortly. Not waiting for acknowledgement, Komachi stepped outside the workshop that kept its door open to vent out the heat generated by those who were working inside.

Sounds of frantic chatter and and hectic workmanship faded into the distance as Komachi walked down the halls, replaced by the sound of her own footsteps and the jingling of the jacket that she wore. The jacket, at its base, the same template that Komachi used for her personal jacket projects, and simple coordinate made of light white cotton, but for the sake of the Theatre Department's project, Komachi had grafted all sorts of additions to it.

On the outside of its sleeves were four thick beige pads, which a myriad of pins and threaded needles stuck into it for temporary storage. At the waist were a series of loops and pouches attached to serve as holders for all the miscellaneous tools that clattered knocked against each other irreverently with each step Komachi took. The entire outift was heavy, and it further amplified the footsteps echoing from Komachi's favorite heavy-soled and steel-toed black boots.

Beyond a name, Komachi had no idea who this Hayashi Echizen was or what she was like. But the unrecognized girl who came into view as Komachi turned the corner was a good a candidate as any. With a final weighty thud from her absurdly heavy boots, Komachi stood at a halt, crossing her arms across what little space was in front of her, and wearing a mighty grin, she belted out-

"Yo! Hayashi Echizen-san?"

Echizen Hayashi ● notes: ● 515

MADE BY MIZO

林 越前
The loud, final thud of Komachi's boots caused Echizen to flinch out of her daze and finally turn away from the map. The let out a relieved breath as she regained her composure, tugging at the strap on her bag. She wasn't sure what to make of the girl in front of her, but she at least new how to commit to a style, that much was clear. She fumbled in her bag briefly, setting her phone to silent with the exception of a few contacts before offering a polite bow. "Are you Ikezawa-senpai?" She brings her head up and stands normally. "I was told to come here in a rush, so I apologize if there were materials I needed to bring." She pauses briefly, trying to at least anticipate what she'd be walking into. The workbelt on Komachi at the very least the environment was busy enough for the students in charge to be working. Unfortunately, that also meant that there was probably a lot of work to be done, and that realization caused Echizen to sweat a little. "I'm sorry you'll have to make due with a novice. I've never worked on things past the comfort of my own schedule or at a level beyond a hobby, so this is going to be... an experience." She rubs the back of her neck. "I'll try not to slow anyone down."
221 WORDS WC Purpose NOTES AND TAGS Komachi Ikezawa

credit to alisha of adoxography.

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

And so the gamble paid off. Komachi had no expectations, but she still found herself surprised. Echizen was rather tall, and looked quite a bit older, making it all the more jarring to be called 'senpai'. Despite being referred to so respectfully quite often lately, Komachi still found herself not quite used to the status. She gave Echizen a rather ungraceful wave unbefitting of her status to confirm that she was indeed Ikezawa Komachi before remembing to be polite and bowing in return.

"Hey, I was told nothing beyond your name and you brought nothing beyond yourself, so when you look at it that way all is right in the world," Komachi said with a wide grin as she stood back up, and in a single motion, gestured for Echizen to follow behind her and turned around. Once more, the tools and bits on her belt and arms jingled angrily as the seamstress lead the way back to the workshop, shouting a bit to overtake the sound of her walking. "C'mon! We got a party going and you've been invited!"

Once more, Komachi's heavy boots echoed down the hallway, this time her pace quicker. Urgency or excitement, either worked for the tailor who found herself with renewed. A turn of the corner was an opportunity to turn around and face Echizen again, walking backwards as she spoke.

"Now, does the guest of honour have idea why you ended up in this royal ball?" Komachi asked with a mischievous grin, swaying sideways from the heft she carried. Her voice lowered as Echizen got closer, but the din of the workshop was starting to filter through to them. "Are you one of the new cast members that got thrown in? We have had a few pop in...then immediately bounce out. I know things have been a mess, and I can be flexible, but still. Communication, right?"

Echizen Hayashi ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

[attr="class","ig"]

[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for Komachi Ikezawa
notes here

[attr="class","kikan"]

“

Echizen straightens her back, assuming a rather relaxed walk after Komachi. A quick moment to process her peer's mannerisms, and all semblances of true formality were thrown out the window. She seemed genuine, and Echizen decided to repay her with honesty on her own part. Her hands find the pockets she'd had hidden away in the pleats of her skirt as she walks after Komachi, a much more graceful air in her step. "I think we both could have been given a little more information," she smiles, snickering softly. "I'm not an actress in the way most would consider, but I spend plenty of time in front of a camera as a model. I was asked to help out for a different reason actually. I opened my mouth when I was actually being a fitting model in a design class and solved the fitting issue before the student actually could."

Echizen rolls her eyes, blushing slightly. "I'm still embarrassed about stealing her thunder and killing the point of the lesson, so I figured volunteering was the least I could do. I ended up learning some things about sewing to market myself to shoots and agencies by helping to fit my own garments. Unfortunately I have a pretty hard time shutting up when people are slow on a deadline."

Echizen eyes Komachi's jacket again, gesturing to the pincushions and pockets of tools. "You know, it'd be really interesting if more designers made clothes for their own practical uses too. It's not like you need to look fancy in an enclosed studio. Then again, I guess when you've got a table the size of 3 whole people you have some leeway." She softly chuckles again.

"So tell me about the production? I'm basically going in blind here."

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/1633906274/1578012983/1500x500);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

After all the sudden twists and turns of late, the fact that Echizen was not an actor, let alone part of the production, no longer came as a surprise to Komachi. So, the grin on the tailor's face stayed as she continued to slowly walk backwards, gesturing grandly at the compliment towards the frankenjacket that she wore. They turned the last corner, and the sound of chatter joined the cacophony of manufacturing.

"Really. No idea?" Komachi said with a laugh, shaking her head. "Eh, you're not worse off than the people who should be running this." With a rattle and thump, Komachi stopped just short of the open door to the workshop. "So, before I throw you in there, I'll give you a rundown."

With a look of obviously exaggerated excitement, the tailor lifted her burdened arms. "Production is Hamlet! Classic!" Then, her expression dropped to one of sheer disdain, the faux excitement giving way to dripping sarcasm as she kept her arms in the air. "Drama department has drama. Classic."

An eye roll accompanied the ungraceful fall of Komachi's arms to her side as she continued to explain. "New actors for roles. Understandable. Costumes are tailored for actors proportions. Ergo, new actors, new costumes. That's the way it goes, that's fine." Komachi gave an nonchalant shrug before having her voice turn back to scorn. "But there was a change in the Art Director, and thus Art Direction, and they think they'll know all about costumes more than us down here. Anyways."

A clap of the hands announced the change of subject, followed by an eager point of the finger at Echizen. "Now, where you come in?" The pointing hand was joined by the other, thumb and index finger forming a rectangle that framed Echizen's figure. "According to the notes we got, you're a bit too tall to be a stand-in model for any the new cast, but I'm not going to rule that possibility out for you. Otherwise if you can help put these things together, that's where I'll put you instead."

Komachi rocked back and forth slightly in eager anticiplation. "So. Which is it going to be?" the seamstress asked, putting on an air of the dramatic. "Will you suffer the pins and needles of outrageous costumes? Or take up tools against a sea of fabrics, and by opposing them, craft them?"

Echizen Hayashi ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

[attr="class","ig"]

[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for Komachi Ikezawa
Sorry for this taking so long!

[attr="class","kikan"]

“

Echizen's disappointment was almost palpable as Komachi revealed Hamlet to be the production of choice. She pinched her brow softly as Komachi continued to explain the predicament they were currently in. Echizen mulled Komachi's question over briefly, pulling her phone out to check a message she had received. There was a delay in her response, but she soon turned the phone around to Komachi, flashing a contact name towards the girl.

"I think I can end up working in terms of both, Ikezawa-senpai. Suzuki-san is a friend of mine who works as a tailor, and I may be able to get some advice on how to tailor to another's measurements based on how the garment fits me. That said, she's probably busy, but I can at least operate a sewing machine and make small adjustments for fitting by hand. I'm not skilled at delicate work, but often you're looking at a few minutes to fix problems during a shoot, so if you need something done fast that can hold, I can give it a shot." She offered a shrug. "Throw me where you need me. A model is a tool for a greater mind at the end of the day."

"As for the selection of production..." She sighed audibly. "Hamlet isn't an easy play by any stretch." Echizen tapped her foot stubbornly, letting a slight pout come across her face as her thoughts gathered. "At least with royal garb and armors there's plenty of ways to hide stitching and alterations beneath the frills and metal that people love to see. Still, they couldn't have picked something less..." She let the thought drift off. "Stressful I suppose. We're going to inevitably be compared to other performances that audience members have seen and that means that subconscious standards could be really high. That and the amount of work..." She crossed her arms, her eyes meeting Komachi's briefly. "You said you were short staffed, I think? Is everyone alright?"

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/1633906274/1578012983/1500x500);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

There was a devious chuckle from Komachi as she enjoyed Echizen's reaction before the tailor's expression turned to a frown, letting her arms fall to her sides with all the weight that her arms did bear. Having no preferences was good as it allowed Komachi to be a bit more flexible, though there was a little bit of disappointment that it still ended up as being her call to make. Throw it on the pile, Komachi said to herself.

"This is a prestigious school. Expectations are immense," Komachi explained, tilting her head slightly. In her voice was a hint of frustration and sadness. "For better or worse, we have a reputation to uphold after all. As for our staffing. We're short in the sense that we could always use more hands. Can we deliver on time? Sure. I can make it happen" The seamstress shrugged, but her shoulders fell rigidly, full of tension and anger. "But it'll cost the folks quite a bit of their sanity. Crunch is bad, and I don't like relying on it. Not sustainable in the long run. Now, you?"

The sour look did not leave Komachi's face, remaining a slight glare as she pointed her heavily wrapped arms and finger to Echizen. "Flexibility is good, but don't sell yourself short. The only tools I deal with you're already seeing on my arms and waist. So don't let me catch you saying stuff like that ever again. Okay?"

A look of anger dissolved immediately as the tailor winked and smiled, gesturing for Echizen to follow once more. As she turn, Komachi laughed, saying, "Once more into the breach then. Not from Hamlet, but gotta get in the Shakesperian mindset right?"

Komachi's chuckle would be immediately drowned out by the sounds of the workshop as the two would enter. It only took a few steps from Komachi's boots for her to be confronted by another girl, holding up large white dress in her arms and panic in her eyes. Whatever words came out of her mouth were out of order and stuttered beyond recognition. Despite that, Komachi smiled, resting the back of her hand against the other girl's shoulder.

"Hey, hey. It's okay, Nishimura-san," Komachi calmly said, trying to reassure her fellow seamstress. "Take a deep breath, take a deep breath. No need to rush here." Nishimura nodded, closing her eyes as she trembled. It was a few more seconds before she could describe the problem: despite the careful measurements, the rush to cut out the sleeves for Ophelia's dress resulted in very jagged cuts at the edges.

"Alright, then. I got it, I understand," Komachi replied, still smiling as she pointed behind her and out the door with the thumb as her other hand firmly grabbed the dress out of Nishimura's hands. "C'mon. Go get dinner and take it easy. I'll take care this."

Nishimura stood with a dazed expression, not yet comprehending what was asked of her until Komachi once more pointed behind her. Komachi watched and nodded as Nishimura shuffled out the door, then looked to Echizen. "Well, that should give you an idea of our conditions. Having her around in that condition is, no offense to her, a detriment. Gotta let your employe-...ahem, gotta let people rest too. Else, you end up with mistakes."

Sighing, Komachi held up the the sleeve of the dress to inspect the damage. Once more, she walked towards the edge of one of the tables that had enough free space for her to work on. "Not too bad really. Just make a hem out of this, white thread, large decorative cross stitch pattern. Can even use a heavier one, if it's noticable somehow, then its fine makes a good accent. Sotomura-san can go cry me a river for all I care. Personally, I'd prefer a gold or silver as a trim, but this is Ophelia's dress. Gotta stick with that pure aesthetic."

At the table's end, Komachi set the dress down and looked up to Echizen. "Hayashi-san. Looks like I've got you your first assignment. Grab that spindle of thread and we'll fix this up this together, one sleeve each." Komachi pointed towards a large cone of wide thread atop a nearby shelf, then started to pull out needles for both of them, grinning excitedly; as much as Komachi could wrangle the management portion of the job, it was good to be getting hands-on again.

Echizen Hayashi ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

[attr="class","ig"]

[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]
for Komachi Ikezawa

[attr="class","kikan"]

“

Echizen grimaced slightly as Fukui itself was brought into her consideration. Prestige obviously set high expectations in its own right, and she felt almost a little foolish for failing to consider the ramifications of the institution's reputation. She shook her head softly as Komachi chided her, only half paying attention. Their was a disconnect between her meaning and what she had said, but that could come later. She was disconnected from school, that much was clear to her, and the uniqueness of her scholastic focus only exaggerated that difference.

Komachi's talk with Nishimura comforted Echizen in a way. She knew a mistake wouldn't spell the end of the world here, although she now wanted to avoid one simply so that she didn't cause Komachi anymore trouble than she was already handling. Echizen swiftly retrieved the cone of thread and began to work at preserving as much fabric from the jagged hemline as possible. Her approach was measured and a little slow compared to what Komachi was more than likely accustomed to, but she viewed caution as the ultimate here, rather than another frantic rush. "I think trimming the hem here and here might clean up the edge a bit..." She pointed at two locations for Komachi's approval, "As well as just slightly slim the shoulders." She pulled a notepad from her bag and makes some marks after sketching a rough copy of the shoulder.

"Say, Komachi-senpai, what got you in to clothing design in the first place?" She turned her eyes over, making another mark on her pad as she began to follow whatever direction Komachi gave her after the initial suggestion. "I can't say I've met a designer as kind about sending someone home as you... Or maybe I'm just unlucky like that." Echizen looks over at the other girl, threading the needle absentmindedly. "Figured we have a few minutes. Maybe we could get to know each other a bit better." She waved her hand as if to clear the air. "After all, I think I created, saying that models are tools. Whaddaya say? You let me pick your brain, and I'll explain myself in a way that doesn't devalue my job."

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/1633906274/1578012983/1500x500);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

Seeing how Echizen went right to the fabric after handing off the thread, Komachi was content to start preparing needles for both of them. To Komachi's pleasant surprise, she directed her attention to a design plan, fiddling with the thread as she gave it a quick look-over. Clearly, Echizen knew what she was doing and for that the seamstress was rather happy. A few silent nods covered over the fact that she was having to make an executive decision.

"Cleaning up the edge is good, but I'd rather not have anything too slimming," Komachi sighed. "I am sticking to the large and flowy style for Ophelia, so I really don't want it to clinging to her too much." She pointed to one of the marks. "Keep this one, omit the other."

A smile returned to Komachi's face as she handed over a few threaded needles to Echizen, jaunting over to the end of her table to start working on her sleeve. After cutting the bit of hem as ordained by Echizen's design and starting the initial stitch, the darker-haired girl finally was able to work and talk at the same time.

"So, how did I end up here?" Komachi asked whimsically and with a chuckle. She still wasn't used to telling stories related to her career choice. "On one side. Parents. Eh, no way to sugar coat it. They own a clothing manufacturing...group. From the farm, to machinery, to the stores. Aiming for a niche near Uniqlo, but a bit more...fashon-ish. So, at the start, it was playing around with scraps and designs dad brought home. Then a good friend of mine well...'comissioned' me for a jacket."

Though Komachi's gaze was focused on her needlework, a wide smile crossed her face, and in her voice was a sense of...longing. "She still does, asking for repairs and newer and improved versions. That's why I have blank prototypes like this one." Mid-stitch, Komachi pointed to the cobbled-together mess that was the jacket she wore.

"Of course, dad wants me to run the company, sooner or later. He's fine if I end up being more a designer, but still wants me to at least know, well, the business!" Komachi continued, chucking. Then, her tone of voice became more serious.

"That's why I sent Nishimura-san home. Kindness? Sure, I'll take it. I'd rather not be heartless if I can help it. But there's still a sense of pragmatism here. As dad told me, a sewing machine that breaks down can be repaired with spare parts in an hour and will have nary a complaint the entire time." Once more, Komachi put down her work and pointed vaguely towards the other girls in the workshop.

"If I have a girl pass out or injure herself in here?" A rare expression of anger lit up on the tailor's face as she shook her head. "Hell no. That's not something so easily taken care of. Besides. Look at me, I'm here doing the work with them. I wouldn't want some jerk to just run me into the ground. So why would I foist that treatment on them?"

@tagsomeone ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

[attr="class","ig"]

[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for Komachi Ikezawa

[attr="class","kikan"]

“

Echizen paused, needle in hand as she stared at Komachi. It was a soft wind at first, growing into peals of laughter that spread across Echizen's face as she set the needle down. Echizen brushed a tear away from her eye, balancing herself with a hand on the table. Her beaming face was aimed straight at Komachi as she picked the needle up again, voicing her thoughts. "All your anger and toughness is just proving you're as kind as I thought." Her laughter fades softly as she continues, "You wouldn't care about the people working in here like that if you weren't kind." Echizen fires off a wink. "Sure it's, pragmatic, but you're also over here pushing yourself just as hard, and in crunch time no less. Besides, you didn't get mad at me for being clueless about what to bring, or butting in with my terrible diagram. I'm sure you could have just as easily told me no and found a solution that fit your vision for the gown more perfectly, but you didn't."

Echizen's smile fades, a muted look crossing her features as the initially stoic face returns. "When I do professional work, who I am doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if my friends or family like the real me, as a model I'm not what's being shown. The only thing that matters is how good of a blank, neutral canvas I can be for the clothes a designer puts on me. If they want me to smile, I ask 'what kind of smile?' If they want me to cross my legs, I ask 'which one in front.'" She sighed, briefly focused more on sewing than speaking. Eventually, Echizen resumed, "It'd be nice to model for someone like you, who cares about people as more than their tools. And besides, you already broke my straight face down once. Maybe I could spend some time with a nice friend after the crunch is all done." Echizen tied off the thread and snipped the excess. "That Hamlet joke earlier was funny, and I owe you another laugh for it."

Echizen turns her attention back to the gown once again "Now what else needs to get worked on?"

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/1633906274/1578012983/1500x500);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

By the time Komachi could hear laughter, her fleeting anger had already given way so that she could focus on the stitching. When she looked up to see Echizen wiping her tears, all the dark-haired girl could do was raise an eyebrow in inqury. It was a surprise for the tailor to be called 'kind'; the rare compliments regarding her character tended to be about her more aggressive nature. For better or worse, the tears seemed to be of laughter, and lacking any other context, Komachi settled for it being a compliment, flashing a smile before looking back down to her thread and needle.

She had wanted to respond, something along the lines of 'Yuki taught her there were more important things to get mad at', but Echizen continued, describing her model work. Komachi was...aware to some extent what Echizen was talking about; though it was largely a stopgap measure for the family business' early years, Komachi did some work as a model to help promote the brand. But after that, the horror stories that had reached the tailor were all second- and third-hand. Still, it didn't prevent Komachi from openly grimacing and growling in disapproval with a shake of the head before finishing up her stitching in silence with Echizen until she finished her end of the gown.

"Let's see...what else...?" Komachi said, putting down the sleeve and looking toward to the other work stations. For the most part, everything else seemed to be moving swiftly and on-time, if not already completed. Since the teams were planned out before there was any notion of Echizen's arrival, there really wasn't much to do beyond handle emergencies. Except for maybe...Fortinbras.

"Actually, now that I think of it, there might be someone's outfit that can fit you." Komachi said, looking to Echizen with an eager gleam in her eyes and wild grin spreading across her face as she started to rotate her arms and shoulders. "So...what's your disposition on wearing armour?"

Echizen Hayashi ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

[attr="class","ig"]

[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for Komachi Ikezawa

[attr="class","kikan"]

“

Echizen tilted her head. She'd worn many different fabrics before, but metal would be a new experience for her. A moment of visible consideration flashed across her face before she responded, "It couldn't be stuffier than a leather kimono, so I think I'll be fine. I'm just confused at how one fits armor in general." She was about to begin a tangent about how shaping metal to a body seemed incredibly difficult when the realization hit her. "What's the armor even made from? It's got to be some kind of prop, yes?"

Echizen ditches her jacket and folds it in half, dropping it on the stool next to her bag before rummaging around in her purse, fetching a scrunchie and pulling her hair back into a ponytail. She was beaming now, clearly excited although she was trying not to let it show. "What role is the armor for? Does it need any weapons with it?" Her switch had been flipped, and she was starting to ask professional questions. "Do I need to stand a certain way? What's the overall vibe I need to be giving off?" The questions began to slowly pile up as Komachi could see a glimmer hidden away in her eyes. Echizen had been asked to do something she loved, and it was very, very obvious.

She was leaning against the table now, staring at Komachi intently. "C'mon, Ikezawa-senpai. I need something to work with."

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/1633906274/1578012983/1500x500);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

A leather kimono?

Komachi froze in place and blinked, a look of confusion on her face. She tilted her head with a state of slight shock before pondering seriously on how that would work then snapped back to the task at hand. The tailor gestured for Echizen to follow, heading towards a clothes rack near the edge of the workshop.

"So, for background, this is for the character ... <Fortinbras>," Komachi explained, pausing to make sure that her pronunciation was correct. "The crown prince of Norway who appears at the end of the play to witness...pretty much everyone dead and thus declares himself king of Denmark. Since he is supposed to be coming right after finishing his conquests in Poland, I figured that he would be armoured in some way."

Pulling aside a few tunics revealed a navy-blue jacket, made of what looked like heavy wool which ran down roughly to the wearer's knees. The thick seams that neatly ran along the sleeves and and torso highlighted the thick padding throughout the jacket, giving it a sense of weight and heft. Some stitches were blatantly less orderly, clearly meant to be temporary placeholders for when the piece was better fittered.

"Not what you figured? This is what is called a... <gambeson>." Komachi explained as she pulled the jacket off the rack and relocated it to an empty one. "Well. Putting on plate seems a bit too much in terms of both what we can make here and...in terms of practicality. Or at least I tell myself that if he was traveling, then a gambeson would enough to defend himself in a skirmish."

One by one, Komachi undid the heavy metal buckles at the front of the jacket in order to open it up and take if off the hanger, turning to Echizen with an eager grin. "Well. I haven't had the opportunity to have someone fit this other than myself. I'm mainly worried about the fit on the upper chest. So...try it on?"

Echizen Hayashi ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

[attr="class","ig"]

[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for Komachi Ikezawa
notes here

[attr="class","kikan"]

“

Echizen nodded, Digging around in her bag for something that would get in the way significantly less than her current shirt. It didn't take long for her to find the fitted undershirt she had stuffed in her bag just in case. "Give me a moment here, I'll be right back and we can get a proper fitting going." With a wave over her shoulder Echizen strides off into the bathroom to change, coming back with the thin top on underneath her jacket. "I figured the floppy school uniform top might get in the way of a good fitting," she pats her stomach proudly, as if to indicate that she considered her idea of bringing a tank-top rather prepared. A fold of her jacket later, and she's standing in front of Komachi with a grin. "The tank top shouldn't get in the way of your fitting." Echizen gives a thumbs up, sliding into the gambeson."

"I can't figure out how these blasted buckles work though. Am I supposed to tuck the excess of the belt strap anywhere? It's more for practicality than it is for fashion right?" Her eyes are tracing over the garment on her, trying to figure out what each piece is for. "Knight's must have had it rough with all the extra prep for just a shirt. I can barely get ready in time just deciding what blouse to wear." Another laugh from the girl as she straightens her back up and relaxes her shoulders. "Any particular pose you had in mind?"

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/1633906274/1578012983/1500x500);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

"Yeah, sure!" Komachi replied out of reflex as she continued to undo the buckles and completely open up the jacket. She had never given much consideration to how the fit would be affected by what was under the jacket - for all the tailor figured, it was going over a normal t-shirt and that was it. Still, Echizen was the expert and so she deferred her on that matter.

Thankfully, the gambeson slipped on with little hassle, and Komachi quickly was running in circles around Echizen, walking closer and farther to look for any initial issues. The expression on her face started to change - while still keeping the laid-back air she seemed to be a bit more focused. "As I recall, European knights had their squires help them put their armour on. Much like what we are doing now," Komachi replied, looking over to the belt. "The long belt is intentional. Or rather, the belt as it is now was allowed to be long so that we could fit it and determine how much to cut off, then maybe add some sort of decorative cap at the end. Better to cut stuff off than to find yourself short."

With a sigh of relief, Komachi reached into the pockets of one of her sleeves and pulled out a few clips and a sharpie. "Arms up, please," Komachi asked, and once she was clear she clipped the excess belt to the portion that was already wrapped around Echizen's waist, then marked a few points to note the belt's new terminus. She took a few steps back to see the bigger picture...and found herself unhappy, walking close again to mark a new terminus.

Once Komachi was finally satisfied, she stepped back again. "Before posing...perhaps move the arms and twist your torso a bit. Even throw a punch or too," Komachi instructed, adding a hasty, "please."

"The objective is largely to ensure that the actress would at least be comfortable wearing it, lest it interfere with her performance. Hopefully that means alterations to the interior and leaving the outside intact..."

Echizen Hayashi ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

[attr="class","ig"]

[attr="class","ninety"]

[attr="class","joker"]

[attr="class","game"]

for Komachi Ikezawa
notes here

[attr="class","kikan"]

“

Echizen nodded. This wasn't some runway garment, and the range of motion it was designed to accommodate would be, of course, much larger and much more vigorous. She raises both of her arms well over her head, going through several stretches while twisting her torso to see how the gambeson would keep up with the extended range of motion and if it would settle back. She then slid onto the ground, going through a much more strenuous set of stretches and stopping to draw attention to when the garment fought her flexibility.

"It feels fine enough, and I would like to stress that I'm a great deal taller than most girls here, so the slight tightness when reaching for my toes probably won't be there on most girls?" She squares up and throws a couple mock jabs, crosses and hooks. "The lining in the arm feels tight though... It's pulling up the side of the gambeson a bit when I move like this." She reaches her arm over her head, leaning along with it to demonstrate. It's a very slight pull, but it's there nonetheless. She lifts her arms out to her sides to both allow Komachi to make marks and to remove the gambeson if she so wishes.

ℳ𝒾𝓏𝑜.☽[newclass=.joker]width: 360px; height: 140px; padding: 20px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .joker]background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); -moz-transition: 3s all; -webkit-transition: 3s all; -o-transition: 3s all; transition: 1s all;[/newclass][newclass=.game]text-align:center; line-height: 9px; margin-top:10px;opacity:0;font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; color: #ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-delay: .3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.game a]font:bold 10px muli; letter-spacing: 2px; font-style: italic; color: #ffffff;[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .game]margin-top:0px;opacity:1;transition-delay: .3s; -webkit-transition-duration:.3s;transition-duration:.3s;-moz-transition-duration:.5s;[/newclass][newclass=.ninety]width:400px;height:180px;background-image:url(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/1633906274/1578012983/1500x500);[/newclass]

[newclass=.kikan]width: 65px; height: 65px; border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; transform: rotate(45deg); z-index: 2; margin-top: -27px; margin-bottom: -39px; filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);-moz-filter: grayscale(100%);[/newclass][newclass=.ig:hover .kikan]filter: grayscale(0%);-webkit-filter: grayscale(0%);-moz-filter: grayscale(0%); transition: 0.6s; transition-timing-function: linear;[/newclass][googlefont=Roboto][googlefont=Open+Sans]

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

"Urgh..." Komachi visibly winced, crossing her arms deep in thought. "I'm admittedly a little disappointed - we're this far along with that gambeson and it's still having issues. I mean...this is why we have fittings anyways..."

She glanced to the side where she looked over the girls who were still lingering and finishing up their tasks. Her jaw clearly moved as she both observed how well her fellow tailors were doing. They were still chatting happily, but the pressure of deadlines still seemed to linger. "...playing the blame game will get me nowhere," Komachi finally said, looking back towards Echizen and towards the jacket's shoulders

"What would Yuki do..." Komachi ask, trying to draw strength from the memories of her best friend as she walked around Echizen, trying to visualize where the issue would be. "Short on time, she'd live with it. But if she really needed to, she'd...make alterations right then and there." Even though it was a very basic prototype, it was still a shock to have Yuki suddenly start cutting up and stitching on her own. Back then, Komachi was indignant, but now she looked back on it warmly. She stopped pacing around Echizen with a smile, gesturing that she could take her arms down.

"Okay, so I think I got a plan." Looking side to side quickly, Komachi spotted her own notebook and snatched it up, riffling through pages to find her current bookmark and procuring a pencil from one of her many pockets. "So...one is...find out how bad it is. I don't want to sound lazy, but we only have so many man-hours left, so if we don't need to fix it immediately, I'd rather not." Even though she had hoped not to make fixes too soon, she still began to jot down notes.

"The way you're need to hold your arms up is pretty high up. Hopefully they won't reach _that_ high. So for one, I do need to know just what angle does it become problematic and...well, do you notice it while walking around and...maybe gesturing a bit? Oh, I don't know how these actors like to gesture but..." She started swinging her arms a bit dramatically before shrugging.

Echizen Hayashi ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO