Penny hustled with a speed that would’ve shocked Lara had she not spent the last few days following people around and running away.

“And that’s why I just can’t be in a relationship right now. How am I supposed to dedicate that kind of focus to someone when I literally don’t even have time to sip my tea flora and watch the Circa sunrise? If I can’t even do it by myself, how am I supposed to do it with anyone else?” Penny finally ended as he led them through two glass doors and into a boutique opposite the elevator they’d stepped out of.

Oversized cream-colored poufs rested in random locations across the marble floor, held up by thick golden bases. The rest of the space was empty albeit mannequins that stood at various focus-points in disconcerting poses atop circular platforms.

Much to Lara’s relief, they passed each one, walking instead to the wide, illuminated glossy block at the back of the shop. Two men stood behind it on both ends, and centered behind them was a floor-to-ceiling set of golden doors.

“Ravenswood here under Zanatos,” Penny announced, turning his head from one to the other before refocusing on the golden doors.

The one on the right traced a pattern on the back of his side of the block prompting it to part down the middle.

Lara followed Penny through the newly created opening and stopped at the doors, which slowly slid open to reveal an entirely white room roughly the same size as the first half of the boutique.

In the middle of the room stood a woman with a number of pins in her mouth and a measuring tape draped around her neck and down her shoulders. She wore a black t-shirt and skin-tight jeans that might have once matched in color, but had since faded to a smoky grey. Her deep brown hair was tied back into a short, asymmetrical ponytail, as she tip-toed high enough to allow herself to adjust two pieces of fabric around the shoulder of a mannequin.

“No hisiters,” she yelled without turning, the pins still clamped between her lips.

Penny leaned back. “You heard her, boys. These doors don’t open again for anyone else until we’re finished.”

“Sat heans you, soo, Penny.”

“Mm, no can do, Evie. I have Miss Ravenswood here on an impromptu order for Zanatos and we have a short time frame. And by short, I mean 3 pm.

Evelynn pulled the remaining pins from her mouth and shoved them all into the mannequin’s eye socket. “Are you serious? Again??”

She stepped down from the platform, and two younger women that Lara hadn’t originally noticed responded by running from the corners of the room toward her. One lifted the measuring tape from her shoulders while the other swiped a number of motions on a tablet similar to Penny’s.

“All I’ve gotten from that guy are rush orders, and you know what, I’m sick of it.” Evelynn pulled the elastic ring from around her ponytail and tousled her hair back into a messy bob that stopped at her jaw.

“Aren’t we all,” responded Penny.

She approached them, evidently irked. “Three days, Penny. He’s done this for three days.” She held three fingers up to his face in emphasis.

“Look, you can take it up with him but I’m--”

“Just the messenger, I know! Be a less annoying messenger! God... This her?”

Lara hesitated. “Yes, hi.”

The assistant who had originally taken the measuring tape ran back over with a light-grey bodysuit, and handed it to Evelynn.

“Why are you handing it to me? Hand it to her.”

Lara took the suit from the girl’s hands before looking back at Evelynn, “I was telling Penny that I can just wear this out to Gurram. I don’t need any…” She stopped speaking when Evelynn snickered.

“She is so funny.”

Penny burst out with a more obnoxious laugh. “I know, right. She’s so cute.”

A white panel slid open on the left side of the room, and a circular platform slid across the floor before stopping in front of Lara.

“Step on that.”

Lara adhered. At the same time, the mannequin’s platform slid over to a panel on the right, which opened just as it arrived by the wall.

Evelynn groaned, “Agh, no! Penny, look at it. The guy didn’t even have this one fitted!”

“That one was Jonathan. He just pushed it through under Zanatos.”

“Even worse!” Yelled Evelynn, expressing the same sentiment Lara had thus far been inwardly suppressing. “I’m gonna have to resize all of them -- and I don’t even remember making them, which means he must’ve commissioned that French prick.”

“Hoh, yeah. Lady Julia’s fave? Mhm.”

Evelynn angrily pumped a fist. “AGH. ‘Ey! What’re you doing just standing there, mix a batch for her, move!” She yelled at the other girl with the tablet, who began furiously swiping at the pad.

A curtain rose from around the platform, and shielded Lara’s body from prying eyes. She allowed herself a silent scream of frustration, now armed with the knowledge that Jonathan had sourced her clothing.

She couldn’t quite be sure that she was correct, but Lara couldn’t allow herself to draw any attention to their previous relationship by asking about Julia or Jonathan. And this would most easily be done by avoiding any sort of present relationship. As well as avoiding Jonathan.

Why am I even thinking about this, I nearly died. Multiple times.

Shaking off her disgust, she strengthened her resolve and refocused her attention to shedding the dress and donning the body suit.

“So Gurram, eh?” She heard Evie from behind the curtain.

“Oh my gosh, have you seen the news?”

“No, I’ve been working. What’s up?”

“Same -- but it’s awful.”

“It’s always awful in Gurram. The only thing they have going for them is the alcohol.”

“No, seriously. This is bad. They’re saying a kid was mauled by something.” Penny entered his hushed tone, forcing Lara to lean a little closer to the edge of the curtain. “The news is saying it was an animal, but my sources say some metal scraps were found at the scene.”

Evelynn gave a small gasp. “No.”

“Freehelm metal.”

Evelynn hissed through what sounded like a grimace. “You know, I overheard my interns. Quadrant 2 doesn’t have very good relationships across the board.” She chuckled. “For them, the only thing keeping Q2G in check are the other 3.”

“And Jonathan’s approval ratings. I don’t know how many more times he can swoop in to save the day.”

“But have you seen Wolfe? A potato is more likeable than that guy.”

“Honestly, at the rate those ‘round tables’ are going--”

Evie’s booming voice suddenly cut Penny off. “‘Ey! You done in there?”

Lara stood straight and tried to look aloof. “Yeah.”

The curtain sank back down beneath the platform which glided toward the center of the room.

The girl with the tablet remained positioned, while the other girl returned with the measuring tape. She draped it back over Evelynn’s shoulders.

“Anyway, I was just telling news-boy over here that the best thing in Gurram, by far, is their alcohol.” She stepped up onto the platform and began measuring Lara’s limbs. “I’m telling you, that’s how they keep going.”

Penny gagged. “Ugh gross, is that what you used to poison me two weeks ago?”

“Listen: for me, good means strong.”

“Whatever, Evie. Most sane people don’t like to taste the drink in their drink.”

As Evie circled around the platform she lifted Lara’s hair, but gasped.

“What is this?!” She exclaimed, holding Lara’s jagged ends between two fingers.

“First time ever cutting my own hair.” Lara half-lied, having nearly forgotten about the battle the night before.

“Jesus, it’s still so long.”

Lara shifted uncomfortably. “I never thought about it.”

“Forget it. Take her to the back and get my shears. I had enough work as it was before you showed up, and now I have to even this out.”

“Should I tell Zanatos before or after you have her stabbed out back?”

“After, or he’ll ask me to dress her corpse, too.”