Algernon Black || The Rise of a God ||

(Chapter 25) Second Chance at First Impressions

"Lucy," Freya called, knocking on Lucy's door and delicately opening it. "I brought you some cookies."

"Thank you, Freya." Lucy took one for the sake of politeness. She had no appetite, not being able to digest all the dirty looks she had absorbed at the gathering ceremony.

"There's the star of the show," Pecilia sang, welcoming herself into Lucy's room, right after Freya. "Talk of the town." She grabbed for a cookie off Freya's plate.

Freya slapped Pecilia's hand away. "Stop teasing."

"Fine," Pecilia said. "Anyways I came here to help our little Lahue redeem herself."

Lucy jumped to her feet. "What do you mean?"

Pecilia smirked at her so eagerly leaping at the bait. "Well the unofficial welcoming ceremony is starting soon and I have the means to get there." Pecilia held out three transportation stones before Lucy's hopeful eyes. "It's a party hosted by the senior students of Attwood so that the newest recruits can see the true customs of our school. And it may be especially helpful if one might like to cast a new brand for themself."

Freya looked at Lucy where it was clear as glass that she was beaming to go.

"Fine. Let's go," Freya said for them both as Lucy lit up with excitement.

"Excellent. Oh and you might want to dress more fitting for the occasion." Pecilia looked Lucy's outfit over with her eyebrow lifted. "Why don't you show her how, Freya?"

"Is it formal attire?" Lucy asked after Pecilia had left.

"No." Freya sighed, resting her hands on her chin. "Quite the opposite actually."

                                 ~~~~~

Lucy didn't have clothes anywhere near the style Pecilia and Freya wore. They were in tight corsets with small skirts and stockings, dressed in the type of fashion Lucy saw in only the dark districts where Jared had never let her look at very long. Though Freya and Pecilia had clothes dyed in deep colors and customs tailors that would never be seen on the streets. Pecilia had long legs and broad shoulders, like a model made for the long gown dresses in Aloysius's shop. Freya was short, perhaps not even five feet tall, but still had all the desirable curves of a woman that were shown off even more by the extra fabric tied to her hips.

Lucy herself opted for a mid-length dress that clung to her waist and was low cut in front. It just happened to be the underlayer to a much fancier dress and was what she felt the most comfortable in wearing.

Pecilia looked Lucy's outfit over before handing her a mask.

"I was right to choose white for you."

Lucy's fingers trailed over the trails of glitter and fake stones all in various hues of white of the masquerade mask. "Do we need to wear these?"

"Trust me, you'll appreciate the anonymity once we get there." Pecilia lifted her own beautiful ornate black and purple mask to her face.

"Put in on Lucy," Freya said, lifting the royal blue and gold one to her's. "Trust me."

Pecilia side-eyed Freya's outfit. "You look like a child in those frills."

"I like them," Freya said, looking down at her tight corset with pink and gold feathers sowed into the front.

"You would," Pecilia shot back and threw a stone at each of the girls.

Lucy caught the smooth rock in her hands. She knew transportation stones were usually very expensive, more affordable the less distance they were made to travel, but still costly for the average person, but at Attwood, it seemed one spent as much money one could just to show everyone they can.