Costumes Are For Trainers (KQ)

Today was a day for sketching. Kealey had been working since she’d woken up on this particular day, finals were approaching and she really needed to get to work on her project for the student fashion show. Classes had been excellent this semester and Kealey wanted to go out with a bang, she hadn’t told anyone, but she had heard that the best design at the show won a student prize…and she was going to win it.

That’s the top of the desk in her room at the mansion was covered in discarded drawings that were slowly starting to spread across the floor as well. It wasn’t that Kealey disliked all of them, it was simply that she’d woken up with so many ideas! Another picture joined the growing ocean of paper on the ground and Kealey started a new sketch, oblivious to the stains the pencils and markers had left across her skin…and more. She’d tossed on sweats and a tank top when she’d awoken with such inspiration and piled her hair into a messy ponytail on the top of her head. Her muse ordered, she obeyed. It was how those things worked, after all.

One of the benefits to living in a school was that sometimes the students were incredibly inspired. Or at least incredibly studious. It was the end of the year and it was finals time for them too, Kealey was taking full advantage of their attention and studious’ness…if that was even a word. She scribbled and drew and sketched and shaded…until a new emotion announced someone in her corner of the world. Excitement… unbelievable excitement…empath powers worked on everyone and Kealey found herself squirming in her seat.

A knock sounded and Kealey almost bounded from thechair, slipping on some of the discarded drawings as Shin’s voice made its way through the door and walls. Skidding to a stop in front of the door in her socks, sweats, and tank top, Kealey pulled open the door and grinned, nearly bouncing herself.

”Hi Shin! What is it?! What's so exciting? Is it something I get to do?!”

Okay, she couldn’t help it. Kealey bounced back and forth from one foot to the other, anticipation building as she watched Shin prepare to speak. He had books in his arms, books with colorful pictures and drawings and when he opened his mouth to ask the question….Kealey got confused.

”Poke-huh?” she said, still excited despite her confusion on the subject at hand. It was just the way it worked, until Shin relaxed a little, she was going to be bouncing. Kealey didn’t mind though, the movement felt good after the hours she’d spent hunched over her desk in artistic thought.

Shin spoke again, holding up one of the books, and Kealey studied the brightly colored dragon and nodded her head. It looked like the dragon could rock. He was big…and he could breathe fire if the cover was any indication. Why did he breath fire though? What was the idea?

Shin spoke yet again and Kealey let out a little squeak of glee at his request. Shin wanted her to design a costume for him! For a thing! ”Of course! I’d love to help you. What is the thing? What kind of costume do you want?” Something else Shin had said occurred to Kealey and she looked at him in wide eyed astonishment, ”Can you actually get these things? You said the costume was for a thing with these creatures?”

Suddenly the blond realized how utterly ridiculous she must sound and took a deep, steadying breath. The nearly overwhelming excitement was still there, amplified by Shin’s enthusiasm and she chuckled a little nervously, ”Though, I think if we’re going to get anything done, we’re going to have to be a little less excited. Between the two of us, I’m about to break apart.”

Kealey took a deep breath and let it out as Shin pulled himself together a bit. It looked like that was as good as it was going to get, though, and Kealey just smiled and shook her head while she laughed. If he had minded all that much, he’d have tried harder. He hadn’t, so Kealey just let it go and went with the flow, besides, it was fun to be this excited. Especially after such a frantic morning of productivity.

Shin started explaining what the concept of the books was about. Apparently it was about something from Japan, something in Japan that was bigger than Godzilla. Kealey nodded her head at the importance of that statement, ”That’s very big.” They were called ‘pocket monsters’ though, so that had to mean Shin was speaking culture-wise.

In the world, kids went around and caught the little pocket monsters and battled, wearing great costumes. Kealey smiled, that’s where she came in. There were turtles and crocodiles and, of course, the dragon that Shin had already showed her. The book in his hands moved through a couple of pages and was held up to so she could see. Her excitement made it a little hard to concentrate on the picture, but Kealey reigned herself in and focused. The costume was pretty extravagant, but it looked like the design was simple enough. She nodded her head, ”I should be able to do that pretty easily.” she said off-handedly, but her attention had drifted to the picture next to the man, of the woman in the kimono and her little pocket monster.

”Oh he’s so cute!” she said, leaning closer to peer at the little dinosaur guy with the flower pod on his back. Her eyes moved back to the woman in the kimono, wondering if she could ever look that elegant.

The tournament was going to be mansion based, and they were going to use their powers to make the pokemon? The blond frowned slightly, she couldn’t make anything with her powers. That meant no costume, that meant she’d never get to try to look as elegant as the woman in the picture. Kealey’s emotions swung to sullen, warring with Shin’s excitement.

Shin moved further into the room, and Kealey bounced after him, dropping down on her bed, completely unconcerned about the pictures that she squashed as she sat. Still thinking about the kimono and the outfit that she was going to make for Shin…she almost missed it when Shin offered her the keychain. Her attention snapped back and she looked at the little guy from the book dangling lazily in the air.

”Oh! It’s that one! He’s so cute!” she exclaimed, reaching out and gently taking him into her hand, ”Are they really this little, so they can fit in your pocket? Or do they get bigger? Where do you keep them?” she asked, curiosity and excitement bubbling over again into the string of quick questions. She’d get Shin’s measurements and start worrying about his costume in a minute, right now, she wanted to know more about the pokemon world.

Kealey nodded her head as Shin continued to explain, the listening getting easier as the excitement turned to serious teaching. The little guys weren’t so little unless they were in their little capture capsules…which were actually balls, master balls, ultra balls, and other things that apparently shrunk them down to size. They were bigger on the inside. That was good, otherwise the little guys would probably get cramped.

Shin went on to explain about her key chain, and Kealey held it up, studying the little guy as Shin spoke. He was such a lovely blue-green color, and the wide mouth on his face made him seem like he was perpetually smiling. Bulbasaur…Kealey liked this. Shin mentioned a turtle and a fire lizard, but something about the little plant dinosaur pulled at Kealey’s heart strings. Shin pointed out its moves and she laughed, vine whips were cool, and the razor leaves…

”Razor sharp leaves, just like your razor-sharp shards.” she said, then nodded, satisfied with her comparison, ”I think I could really get into this.” she said, then looked thoughtfully at the book in Shin’s hands, ”Is there one like me?” she asked curiously. ”And you said that the trainers wear special costumes, do you have to do something special to be a trainer? Or can anyone do it?

Kealey was pleased that her comparison had been a good one. Shin agreed with her and listened to all of her questions patiently. He was thoughtful about them and when he responded to Kealey’s question about trainers, her face scrunched up slightly in disappointment. This was what she’d been afraid of.

That costume was so pretty, so elegant, and Kealey had an idea for something to do with it when this competition was over that would go right along with her assignment for the student fashion show. Shin continued to speak, though, and hope blossomed in Kealey’s chest. There was still a chance! She nodded to answer his question about the costume and looked down at the books he’d placed beside her. A slight idea was already forming in the blond’s head, but she would have to do some research with the books first, then make the arrangements…. It was going to take a lot of work, and Shin still needed a costume. For the moment, though, he seemed more interested in what she might potentially do.

For a moment, Kealey considered telling him exactly what she thought about the kimono and wearing it. For some reason though, she shook her head, ”I’m not really sure. I’d have to think about it after I looked through the books. It sounds like it would be fun though.” Kealey was a little surprised at herself, usually she was very open. She felt a little impish about this, though. She would figure it out, be a part of the tournament, help Shin with a costume, and have a great one of her own. It was perfect, she grinned and picked up the book, flipping it to the page Shin had shown her his concept idea from.

”So…this is what you’re wanting? Exactly, or are there any chances you want to make?” she said, turning all business and reaching out to snag her sketch pad and a pencil from her desk.

When Kealey wouldn’t expand on what she was planning for her costume, Shin’s curiosity shot through the roof and Kealey had to bite back a giggle. He definitely wasn’t going to find out now. Not until the idea came to fruition, if she could find a way to do it. There had to be someone in the mansion she could work with…there just had to be.

Picking up one of the books, Kealey thumbed through the pages, feigning interest in the other costumes and realizing more and more that the kimono had won her from the very start. There was just nothing for it, she was going to have to make it, wear it, then alter the thing so it could work as her fashion show final project for school this semester. The fact that the idea had just come from nowhere pleased Kealey to no end and she grinned brightly at Shin as the conversation swung to his costume.

Scooting slightly further away from Shin where she’d sat next to him on the bed, Kealey eyed him a little more critically than usual, muttered to herself for a moment, then nodded her head as if she’d made a decision. ”You could pull off the colors. It just depends if you want to do with dramatic and somber, or bright and flamboyant. Either way would work.” she flipped back through the pages to the picture they’d originally looked at and tried to ignore the gorgeous kimono while she focused on Shin’s costume. She nodded.

”Yeah, I think this would look great on you.” she said, picking the sketch pad and pencil up and starting to outline the jacket that the trainer in the picture was wearing. It was just a quick work-up and Kealey nodded her head when she was finished with the basic outline. Shin asked about what she was thinking about wearing again, and Kealey had to chuckle, ”I think I’m going to keep it a secret.” she said, glancing at Shin with an impish grin as she sketched out the basics of the pants, ”I’d hate to voice it, get all excited, then not be able to participate and be disappointed.”

Subject change. ”Now, I’m going to have to get your measurements.”

Shin described the style the trainer wore, and Kealey nodded. She agreed, if he was going to go to the trouble to dress up, he might as well go all the way. She knew she intended to. It would make the jacket design a little more difficult, and he’d have to be okay with a seam up the back. Hiding something like that was still a bit beyond Kealey’s ability. It could be hidden by the stripe that seemed to go down the middle. Finding the fabric might be a little difficult, though, a trip to MODE was definitely going to be in order. Even then, she probably wouldn’t be able to get everything down to the very details. Kealey jotted notes down around the pictures she’d sketched and nodded. This was going to work quite well.

Shin was disappointed that she wasn’t going to tell him her idea for a costume, and still nearly overwhelmingly curious. Kealey grinned, ”I know you’re curious. You‘ll be one of the first to know what it is when and if I finish. Promise.” she laughed, hoping that would satisfy him for the time being. If not, well, it would be a long wait until the tournament.

She mentioned the measurements and Shin stood, then immediately fretted about a sketch he’d stepped on. Kealey waved him off and laughed, shrugging her shoulders, ”I don’t actually know what’s come over me.” she said, ”Best I can figure, all the kiddos are studying away for their test and thinking about work. I woke up with my head buzzing something fierce. It’s all I could think about…so I drew. Don’t worry about stepping on them though…if they’re on the floor it’s because they’re not the one.”

Kealey stood, skittering her way to her desk in response to Shin’s question about how the measuring part worked. The pencil went into the base of Kealey’s ponytail and she dug in the drawers of the desk, emerging a moment later with a tape-measure grasped triumphantly in her hand. ”With this.” she said, looking Shin up and down and walking back across the small sea of sketches, ”Hold your arms out to the sides, and try to be still.” she chattered as she set about measuring, ”And if you’d rather, you can just give me your waist size and inseam to save time.”