Alex was hesitant now. Toni had coerced him into wearing a girlish outfit for the whole day in the mall. A colourful top with the word “Cute” over the front in a splash a short leather coat over the top of it, a skirt and knee high stockings while to hide his Adam’s apple he wore a short shawl around his neck. The trick of the morning was the impromptu hair dressing session Toni managed with Alex’s hair managing to create a cute fringe in his hair.
Tristan beside him also had on a girlish outfit of a strapless top that ended at chest height which had two short sleeves, Tight jeans with ‘fashionable’ rips on the front. To hide his own apple Tristan had on a bandanna His own hair was styled to have a hanging comb over to one side.
Out of all three only Toni confidently strode through the store whilst both Alex and Tristan blushed and tried in vain to hide their embarrassed faces from the crowds.
Malls have always been an intimidating sort of place. Large crowds of people marching through every store with bags in hand, shoulders bumping into one another. All the various species colliding and corralling, themselves as they set about for chores, for fun, for a daily routine whatever gave them a reason to flock like they do together in the stores. Alex was hesitant as he walked since he and tristan were compromising with Toni on the trip. They walked with Toni gleefully hanging by their arms looking around all the clothing stores that had already been opened. It was actually fun to be out doing something different, looking into stores never seen before and at styles Alex had never cared for till now. Tristan soon smiled as he was used to the shopping side of things by now, Before every store he only had time to give Alex a short warning, before Toni went to work and finding lots of different outfits to compare against him. That part was the most embarrassing as Toni had dragged them both to the girls section of clothes and held the outfits against them as the clerks and shoppers took awkward glances as they passed by or caught wind of Toni pressing the girls section against their bodies for measurements. Was it awkward because they knew that they were both boys? Or because their faces were so red at the outfits toni had picked out?
The store ’Samantha’s’ was not set to open until mid day, enough time, to both boy’s relief, for a rest at the large eatery, a sizeable circular food court with various food selections and brands. Alex did his best to catch his breath from the constant walking about feeling his face being significantly hotter form all the blushing.
“I don’t know why you guys are being so shy about this you both wanted to come here for the shop and some new clothes” Toni said with a cocky grin as she dug into a salad . Tristan and Alex just looked to each other knowing they both had the same response
‘We didn’t want to test out the clothes IN the store in front of everyone.’ they both thought, but they bit their tongues and waited. Alex thought of why he came back again how he’d wanted to do more because of something so simple as a fictional character from old cereals years ago. It was then he noticed something from afar. A somewhat familiar looking poster being hung up in a book store. When they got a chance Tristan and Alex darted for it just for the break of constant clothing chains, Reluctantly Toni herself found something of worth within the store. The poster was unbelievable, it was about the prince, ‘The prince Castle’ that the women yesterday had shown him but it was new, a comic series now available. In complete shock Alex couldn’t believe it, the pure white coat of the prince and the look he had in cover was identical to the poster and to him If his black fur had only been white.
“It’s a good read” said a calm soft boyish voice to Alex’s side, and in a flash he turned and saw a lion boy who looked about Alex’s age but wore a store named Shirt and looked very smartly dressed. “It’s done by a lot of the assistant writers who actually worked on the old cereals. even some of the books adapters came in to write for it”
“Th-the books? about the prince?” the lion boy nodded with a cute smile
“The guys back then had too many ideas to get out before the cereals got cancelled a lot of plots were left unfinished, this is how they hoped to fix that.” Smiling Alex looked through and saw scene after scene of the prince fighting in defence of a maiden or of his castle, or both. “You new in town?” the boy asked with a cocked smile as he stepped closer holding up a larger version of the comic Alex had “This is an omnibus of last ten comics released from the beginning till now.” Alex looked confused as he mumbled his words before shaking himself straight
“y-yeah i’m new J-just started in the high school, really? ten issues already? its weird i just heard of this whole thing last night, it’s kind of the reason i’m here with my friends, if i didn’t even hear of it i’d probably not be here for the st-“ He stopped himself before he realised how close it was to revealing the entire secret of their dressing up. “STORY” he blurted out in a hurried frenzy of trying to defuse this mess, It didn’t help that he shouted it loud enough for the rest of the store to hear. The lion just kept smiling though, not really phased by it all.
“It’s pretty good, probably the best written comic we sell here.” Toni and Tristan looked over but quickly went back to their own reading with chuckling and giggling heard in hushed voices. Alex pays for the comic and the lion boy smiles so sweetly back to him Alex can’t help blushing as he takes the comic. “You’re shirt’s right by the way, you are cute.”
A red faced Alex leaves the store and continues walking ‘till he can dart behind a wall and hit himself in the head with his newly bought comic book/
“Stupid stupid stupid” he thought as he tapped the soft cover book on his head over and over. His heart was racing, body burned hot and all he could think of were those words the lion had said ‘cute cute cute’. After a second of thinking he noticed the racing heart and hot body felt good, scarily so. His hands trembled over the comic book and his legs felt like jello beneath him as all along his spine a shuddering tingling sensation crept over him again and again. This all continued for a minute until he could finally catch his breath. what was that? He had never felt that way was it the dressing up? was it the lion boy? both?
“There you are!” shouted Toni as her head peered around the corner shocking Alex “ We’re heading to the store! it’s nearly opening time!” Her excitement was uncontainable as she hop skipped and jumped back to Tristan piggy backing on him to the store as both giggled.
Outside the store Alex caught up to Toni and Tristan at the back of a moderate crowd huddling around the store front. The store itself looked clean and vibrant with it’s dark mahogany front and dark floored interior display cases and outfits set up across table tops racks and featured fashionable outfits on pale faced mannequins. Toni was restless, her size making it all the more difficult to see into the store over the crowd, her hopping up and down did make both Alex and Tristan snicker as with each jump she only gained more agitation.
“Shut up and describe the store of my dreams to me” she said finally and on his tiptoes Tristan looked over the crowd.
“Yup, it’s a store alright” He said as Alex strained holding back his laughter. Toni gave them both swift swats across the rear making Alex raise off the ground in shock red faced
“What’s your deal?” He asked quickly patting down his skirt tugging at it’s hem to hide his front and maintain his modesty.
“My deal is the store i’ve been waiting to be inside since forever is right infant of this crowd and I can’t see a single inch of it”
“you only learned of it last night” Alex was quick to point out his head turning cautiously for any glances they were getting, but no one noticed.
At the front of the crowd the sound of mechanical shutters opened up whilst a round of applause began growing louder the further back it came with the three joining in. A group of store workers in fashionable matching uniforms all came out, tall beautiful women of all species standing to attention as one final female a perfect white coated bunny .wearing a white top with a frilled collar with a purple ascot around the collar. Dark grey pencil skirt with light black leggings coming to black leather heels. It was the woman from the advertising, the owner of the brand. The very same woman whose name was written in cursive for the store’s logo right above her head. Samantha Bunny.
“Thats her Toni” Tristan whispered down “It’s Samantha she’s here to open the store herself” Toni just looked awestruck even though she could not see her just yet. With very simple movements Samantha produces a pair of small scissors as her staff unravel and pull tight a ribbon in between the store’s entrance. She snips the ribbon down and begins to wave in the crowd as the clapping begins once again
“we’re going in then” Tristan said just as surprised as everyone there were no words of introduction. That was all Toni needed to hear and as the crowd either left or entered the store Toni held onto both boy’s arms and dragged them through the crowd barreling past everyone and anyone in the way until they were inside.
Once inside Toni was a blur of brown and white running to and fro with armfuls of clothing that began piling up in Tristan and Alex’s arms. When finally Toni could not think of anymore combinations she led the two, now blind by the towering stack of clothes, over to the dressing rooms. And for the next half hour Toni had the boys going into the divided rooms and coming out wearing beautiful ensemble after beautiful ensemble. A range of all styles and fashion choices she had calculated in seconds were now being tested out on both boys as interest in them grew from the staff and then the other patrons. After five minutes all members of staff had huddled at one end of the changing room’s hallways watching the boys come out in new outfits, twirl on the spot before toni looking themselves over in the mirror with a cute smile and then returning to repeat the process.
Alex and tristan both took to the attention, to their surprise they enjoyed being out and with people genuinely watching them out of awe and admiration. Their clapping hands smiling faces and hushed compliments made them feel at ease, relaxed and comfortable enough to be themselves in the new clothes. They laughed , they posed and they finally finished the pile of clothes Toni forced upon them and then had the difficult choice of deciding what to buy.
Alex had chosen a Black and white outfit . Black top with a white flour de lis pattern covering all around it with a thick white belted black skirt with white trimming beneath and the belt folding into a cute bow on the side. frilly with socks with black lining, a pair of Mary jane leather shoes and a single black bracelet on his wrist.
“You girls have quite the exceptional eye for clothing” came a silky smooth feminine voice behind Alex as he waited in the line for the checkout. It was the white rabbit woman, Samantha staring him down with a smirk curling her lips. “The little cow girl has exquisite taste and a keen eye for combinations.” Alex was a little awestruck and struggled to think of something to say, this woman pulsated with brimming confidence and charisma, it was intimidating. “You two were quite the models as well. I didn’t expect two boys so new to their fashion desires to be so fond of the attentions” That had Alex finally utter
“uhh” She knew, somehow she knew both of them were boys without any indication, or at least any that alex could think of. In a hushed tone and stepping out of the checkout line Alex began talking “Please miss don’t tell anyone, we don’t want to be treated like freaks we just liked this was all. My friend is a fan of yours so much she’s actually a designer herself” Samantha did not say a word, she just stood there that smirk never moving an inch like the perfectly carved marble features on a catholic statue of a holy mother.
“Really? I’ll have to take her aside and ask for a portfolio then” she replied
“Miss How did you know that we were... you know” Alex asked feeling sheepish and like he was ready to be scolded by an authority figure.
“You boys don’t hide it well and some things you cannot change, such as adams apples you hide with neck accessories. Truth be told though the biggest giveaway was that your walks had no sway in their step.” Alex looked to her confused before she chuckled like an old victorian lady of royalty, the back her hand coming up to hide her face “Oh but that’s something a few lessons on a catwalk will fix i’m sure. Now off to see the budding designer and that delicious panther boy” she said turning on her heels and moving for both of Alex’s friends.
He watched them freak out, talk in silence, their lips moving but the chatter of the store too loud to clearly make out what they spoke of. Toni’s delight was evident at speaking with Samantha and Tristan, well Tristan looked kind of how Alex thought he looked speaking to the owner. In that time Alex took in a few quick deep breaths and rested his back against a rack of clothes trying to think of what had just happened. Did it mean anything? She didn’t know their names do they could avoid the issue all together. ‘What if this had gotten back to Dad?’ Alex thought as he slowly slumped down till his legs bent his back still against the rack of clothes. ‘He’d probably get pissed, half drunk and could be so angry he forbids me from leaving the house. locks on the doors. No running to Toni or Tristan for help. Is he violent enough to beat me?’
Alex’s mind mulled over the possibilities each new one a worse scenario than the last before he noticed that beneath his clothes he held onto the comic book from before. The prince standing in defiance of an adversary with a sword drawn. He flicked through the pages and finally came to the scene of the fight. The prince had challenged another prince from a foreign land to a duel. The foreign prince was being forced into the life of a war monger like his father the foreign king but this came at a cost for the citizens who were not in the military of his kingdom. Prince Castle was clearly winning the duel, spouting off a several page dialogue about how “one does not buckle under the weight of oppression just to be content in safety” and “in the face of those who demand you live life in their vision not your own you must be willing to stand firm in what you believe” Alex was desperately wanting to just run home and read this comic now.
The sight of his friends and Mrs Bunny returning brought him back to his feet and tucking the comic away again. Toni looked very happy
“Alex Mrs bunny has offered us a look into her studio where she designs these outfits” she said as Samantha stood confidently smiling to all three of them. Tristan was still dumbfound awestruck and didn’t say a word.
“That’s great.” He said somewhat confused as to why but he could tell he was with Tristan on this on this one sounding more dumbfounded than excited.
“It will be next week I have Toni’s correspondence details and I do hope to see you boys again modelling your wonderful friend’s fashion.” and without another word Samantha left from all three to disappear into the crowd of shoppers and attendants.
“did she tell you how she knew we were boys?” Tristan finally asked
“She said we didn’t have sway when we walked, do you know what that means?” Alex replied, Toni burst out laughing.
“You guys, your buts don’t shake when you walk” she said in hysterics as both boys, annoyed, just walked back into line in silence, bought their clothes and left the store all while Toni still cried with laughter.
On the way out of the mall Alex stopped when he caught site of a store that sold fur dyes. He didn’t hear his friends when they finally noticed he’d stopped walking with them. All he did in the sand of the minute was walk in, find ‘snow white’, pay for the dye and a bag then leave the store. The prince, Samantha Both had perfect white coats unlike alex, who had his natural dark black fur. Was the desire to be more like the prince? or more like Samantha? Was it all just to be less like himself?
“Alex?” He finally heard Toni say with concern in her voice “You okay?”
“Yeah. I think I’ll be okay.” He looked over the bottle “You know how to apply this?” He asked smirking.
