Kierra

Stopping into the bathroom again, I stand and look at myself in the small mirror above the sink. Have to do something with my hair, seems it sticks out like a sore thumb. Bad enough that I can't douse myself in different scents to hide my own, because it will affect my nose as well. With the bathroom door left open, Asher pokes his head in.

"What are you doing?"

His soft voice creeps into my head, honestly curious.

"I'm thinking I should hide my hair since I can't hide my scent. Aside from dying it, I'm not sure what to do."

That's not true, Faline has more fashion sense than I do, having several hats and hair scarves. I leave the bathroom, running a hand over and giving a rub to his ear. It's done absently as my mind is on other things.

Faline's door has been getting left open for Tigger to have a room to hide in. I head straight for her closet, it's angled behind the door with plenty of room in between to have both closet and room doors open and not touch.

I scrounge in her mess for awhile. I hate scarves, they make you look old. Granted I don't care how I look, relatively, but I don't want to stick out either. Won't catch me dead in a beanie either. I settle on her fedora.

Black velvet-like material with a red band and a couple of small skull pins along the band, silver rings along one side's edges even it out I guess. Spiffy, and made so it naturally covers the upper half of your face. Didn't even notice Asher follow me around and watch me, being as oblivious as I tend to be.

Since it's something I hardly do, so should help hide me even more, is make-up. More than what I would normally wear. Ick. Going back to the bathroom, I pull open cupboard drawers. It's all put in shelves, not all over the sink. That shit bugs the hell out of me.

Heavy black eyeliner, more than I would wear outside October, blue mascara, burgundy lipstick instead of clear gloss, and black eye shadow. Add some more color to my cheeks too. I have no idea what I'm doing with most of this stuff, going mostly off memory of watching my sister and Ava.

I look weird if you ask me, even more so since I no longer wear glasses. Never went looking for them since I didn't need them, they were probably broken anyway. My long hair is going to be a little more tricky.

Not usually one to do anything with it since it has its own stubborn wave plus curl, I pull it up and try a bun, but it doesn't work with the hat. Okay, pins it is. Probably all 700 of 'em too. I doubt we have that many, but it seems like it when I'm constantly picking them up after Faline uses them.

Would be so helpful if I knew how to braid my own hair, but I never bothered. Besides, I have to be able to see what I'm doing. I dunno about you, but I don't have eyes in the back of my head. Gathering as much of the silver as I can, it gets pulled back into a thick ponytail, then clipped onto the top of my head.

Trying the hat on now, it works pretty damn well. Alrighty then. Satisfied, I turn to leave and almost step on Asher. He backs up, but he takes his sweet time. I cock a brow at him.

"You look very...interesting."

"It's not supposed to be interesting, it's supposed to blend in. Trust me, Downtown, I will be under-dressed more than likely, and have the least amount of paint on my face."

"Didn't mean it like that. No one here has seen you all made up before, it's a bit startling. Makes your eyes look really bright."

I shrug, my eyes had brightened when I became a Werewolf. Doubt what I do with paint and powder will make them any brighter. If it makes him happier to think so then kudos.

Black jeans and burgundy T-shirt with a giant skull on it, knife clipped onto my waist, socks, and knee-high boots, I'm pretty much done aside from grabbing a coat. Annoying part is it'll have to be a heavier one than what I usually wear. Trench coat should work, yeah?

Ava had gotten it for me, so I kept it, but the thicker leather is too much unless it's a dead-of-winter deep freeze. Then it isn't so bad. Black of course, silver buttons, and deep pockets. Even a nifty hidden inner breast pocket.

Grabbing the usuals; phone, keys, wallet, they're all are put in my jeans, not the coat. Still have a picture of Faline within it that I can show to some shop keepers, see if they know or have seen anything to do with her. Once all settled, I look up and around.

Four pairs of eyes are looking back at me. I stop and look at each one in turn, even the damn cat is gawking at me.

"What?"

Bastion shakes himself and looks away, cheeks a light pink as he goes back to his puzzle. Asher keeps staring at me as if he doesn't recognize me, sitting in his spot on the couch. Xavier is openly gaping at me as he stands by the door. Another pair of black Tripp pants, these ones having red accents.

Red studded straps go down the front of his legs, silver chains loop around the lower legs and go up the back to attach to a ring hanging from his rear. More red straps on the back pockets are in the shape of crosses. All pockets are just as deep as the ones on my coat, only his have more decoration.

An actual shirt is under his biker jacket, looking black from here. To really fit his ensemble, I would guess a band design is on it. From him to Tigger, who's on his cat tree again, all curled up and looking cranky from being woken up, my expression closes down.

"There a problem I'm unaware of? What's wrong now?"

Bastion shakes his head, Xavier clears his throat, and Asher keeps staring. That's getting a little unnerving now. The maned wolf speaks up first.

"I thought the point was to blend in. You know, not stick out."

I know I spoke out loud earlier, but I repeat it anyway.

"Trust me, I'll blend. You'll blend better than I will. For a female going downtown, I'm overdressed and not wearing enough make-up. If anything, what I'm wearing will make people look away, thinking I'm some hardcore goth and therefore crazy. Since I don't usually wear this crap, anyone who might know me won't even recognize me."

Well, they'll have the crazy part right. I feel amusement in my head as Asher catches on to that thought. In trying to explain why everyone is having issues, the midnight wolf shows me an image of me on how I look right now from his point of view.

My breath catches. I look pretty damn badass actually. Even better, means no one will bug me. My green eyes do indeed appear even brighter by being so heavily circled in black, the blue mascara looks like a blue-black when coupled with the eye shadow.

Burgundian lips give a more sophisticated look rather than trashy, the blush adding just a little color to my cheekbones. The coat combined with the hat tipped low over my face almost gives an air of mystery. I look pretty spiffy, if I do say so myself, and I do. Think it's the eyes that really stick out, with my natural bitch face, I look to be in a bad mood, therefore unapproachable.

Bastion smiles at me as I ruffle his hair then comb my fingers through it.

"You gonna be good for a few hours kiddo? Not sure what time I'll get back, but I'll try for not too late."

I need to either get him a phone or a house phone so he can get ahold of me if needed. Right now my 'house phone' is my cell phone. Should be able to get him added to the plan my sister and I have with no problem.

"Yep. Got plenty to keep me busy, but I think Asher is going to be bored to death."

"I'll go back and forth from the house and outside, no problem."

I know even going outside he won't go far from the boy, so I'm not too worried. Nodding to Asher in thanks and asking if he wants me to get him anything, he declines. With that, I head to the door.

Xavier's eyes are stuck or something, his mouth partially opened. I'd poke his forehead, but he has freakishly long legs, so I settle for reaching a foot forward to step on his toes. I'm sure he barely feels it through his boots, but it catches his attention.

"What?"

"You ready? Let's go."

With that, I poke his side as I go past and out to the jeep. Going to take some getting used to; seeing the makeshift shed-garage, my car hidden within. The dork finally follows me out, going around and hopping into the passenger seat.

I raise an eyebrow at him, as it wasn't like he had to beat Bastion to the front seat. He ignores the look as he tucks himself into it.

"How many pairs of pants do you have?"

The question seems to throw him for a moment as I start up the jeep.

"Uh, four or five I think. Why?"

"All Tripp pants?"

I think it could be qualified as me being nosy, but whatever.

"No, you've seen a pair of my jeans. Three pairs of jeans and the two others are Tripp. Few shirts, some socks and a pair of shorts."

I look over at that, pulling out onto the road and able to accelerate. It's a little after lunchtime, so hopefully the roads won't be too clogged. He shrugs at my look, a smirk on his face. Oh boy.

"Swim trunks, can't always get away with swimming in the nude."

Yep. Knew it was something along those lines. Over ninety years old and yet still very much the playboy. I snort and rotate between looking at him and the road.

"Might not want to swim in the Rock River, it has a bad rep of having dead bodies."

He inclines his head, a smile stuck to his face.

"I heard something like that a couple of times while roaming."

We talk about random things for the next twenty-five minutes it takes to get to my old publisher's office. Behind that ladies man smile, there is a very good brain. Who knew.

Told him I'd like to teach Bastion about how to use a blade so he can keep one on him whenever he goes out. Give him the ability to never be a victim again. Especially since it seems we'll always have some issue going on at some point.

Life; it'll kill you.

With coming from a military background, he offers to teach both of us what he knows in both knife combat as well as fighting while a human. Also suggests that he can teach me more about my Were abilities. Might be different animal types, but still canine, so really, how many things can be different when both will be in 'monster' forms?

I readily agree. Knowing spunk, attitude, bad temper, and instinct will only get me so far if I can't keep my head. I've been doing alright so far, but I think it's mostly been dumb luck. Not to mention Asher having my back.

Pulling up in the same spot I did last time I was here, was it really only yesterday? So much goes on that's tiring that it seems more time has to have passed. Xavier offers to haunt the music shop again and I agree.

Getting out, I seriously hope Benji is even here. Should have tried calling Ms. Granite. Doubt I'll be able to get in and out without Gary knowing. Shit. Oh well, just have to be very quiet. Let's hunt for some wabbits.