Jun sensed something. A presence Jun had not felt since...
“My favrrrite customrrr.” The pleased purr of the saleswoman came from behind the petite goth girl. “I barely recognized you.” Jun could feel the knowing and teasing wink in every syllable. Both she and Nadia turned around, but their gazes were immediately drawn to the bundle carried in her arms rather than Lola. Complex layers, including a petticoat hidden behind the already billowing ballgown, nearly buried the clerk beneath the silhouette with its sheer volume. Bright golden mirth played in Lola’s eyes where they peeked over the shadow-spun silk that hid a cheshire grin. Black didn’t begin to describe it, which only made the splashes of ivory white all the more vivid and striking. The ruffles on one side mimic-ed a rose’s petals so perfectly Jun conjured the scent from memory and could almost convince herself it was real. “Cat got yourrr tongue?”
Nadia parted her lips as if to speak. After no sound came out so closed her mouth and tried again. “Is that costume for sale?” Another and familiar spine-chilling surge ran through Jun when Nadia brought out her hand to touch the fabric. It was subtle, but the delighted saleswoman nodded in affirmation to confirm the goth's suspicions – this was another of the store’s magical costumes. Leaving the cute doll to absorb her revelation, Lola returned her full attention to Jun’s companion. Her lips pursed, becoming the very image of apologetic at not being able to fill a customer’s request. Like the very thing crushed the woman’s spirit. Nadia fretted. “Aa-are you sure? Even if its old or damaged, I’m happy to pay full price for it. This dress is perfect for what I had in mind.”
A whispered ‘please’ coming from Nadia tugged at Lola’s heartstrings. Every fibre of her principled retailer’s soul strained against the sincere wish of her customer. Jun was impressed and a little frightened at the performance playing out before her. The gothic doll kept biting her tongue, however. “You two do look cute together... suppose I can offer you a discount. Be crrrful, the magic woven into the thread is fickle.” Nadia would be in for a surprise as the saleswoman’s warning didn’t land. Not that it was her friend’s fault who did her best to squeeze the dress tightly against her chest while maintaining her awkward, but sweet, grip on Jun’s hand.
“Let me show you the changing rooms.” She could explain on the way exactly how the doll costumes worked. But before the goth could spirit her friend away from the saleswoman, Lola lightly gripped the goth’s shoulder. With a wave, the chipper saleswoman sent Nadia on her way.
“Enjoying your costume, Jennifer?” Lola continued once the other woman was out of earshot, hooking her and the goth’s arms together. Hearing her ‘old’ name wasn’t the bombshell Jun had expected it would be. “Oh, I can say you are warty witch with a crocked nose and bad postrrre. Nothing would happen. What I actually needed you for was to help pick out accessories for your friend. Say, what do you think of these contact lenses?” Lola held out the pair of discs that had irises that looked cut out of ice.
Jun was distracted from the musing of piecing together her past as a sudden feeling of hollowness expanded through her insides. “Eeettooo... they’re kawaii. Umm... Nadia-sama would like them.” Her soft voice trailed into the distance. She had tried to reach for a bottle of mascara to compliment her friends’ eyes, but her stiff finger had closed around empty air. Tilting her head down to see, Jun slowly raised the jointed fingers. With morbid curiosity, the goth tried to flex them, seeing how each of the segments of the alabaster pale porcelain clicked together and articulated on their joints.
The doll’s finger tips brushed against the cold shell of her skin, feeling where her neck connected with her torso before tracing the outline of her chin. Jun’s entire world collapsed into hazy memories of attending a lone and indistinct female figure. Her dissociation and foreknowledge did nothing to prevent the flow of crystalline tears running down her sculpted cheeks. Devotion and love blossomed inside Jun's hollow exterior, all directed toward her mistress. Everything outside the doll's duties inside the mansion and tending to the garden faded in importance when compared to the noblewoman in her monochrome dress.
After catching one of the strange tears Jun brought it to her mouth. Still soft, the doll’s lips cushioned the pressing finger as she opened and let the plush tip of her tongue taste the droplet. The rigidness of the doll’s ceramic facial features loosened while the gothic woman’s expression set itself into one of confusion with her large eyes staring unblinkly into the saleswoman. “Dōshita. What is wrong?”
“Your frrrend is trying on her dress. Did she say anything before while you were alone?” The nod coming from Jun was stiff and unfamiliar as she felt her way through the precise way her mechanical puppet body now moved. “Nothing to worry about then. Hmm, here,” two plain silvery rings appeared between two of the saleswoman’s fingers after she flicked her wrist, “they’ll dampen outside influence and keep the magic stable. Stable-er. You’ve played along so far and most customers aren't half as fun as you. Now, it was this color for her eyes? Bold choice.” The brief moment of seriousness was buried by Lola's grin as she inspected the bottle Jun had reached for. “Anything else you werrrr planning?”