The One

Posted on 08 Feb 2015 @ 2:45am by Lieutenant Aria Rice & Petty Officer 1st Class Siren Hex Saalm

3,024 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Starbase 84 - Outside Rice's Temporary Quarters
Timeline: MD 07 - 1100

ON:

Pressing the chime, Siren waited somewhat anxiously outside of Aria's room on the starbase. It wasn't the little pocket rocket herself that worried her, it was more the favour she had to ask.

"Coming, coming, coming!" Aria called out and walked to the door. She had her hair up in a high pony tail, with streaks of red in her hair. Even the clothes were typical of her, the leggings and heels and a top that was corseted tight around her waist to try and enhance her cleavage. If anyone needed help with that, it was Aria. Problem with being petite was that it didn't always come with bum and chest. "Siren!" she smiled as she saw her before pulling her close to hug. "Why aren't you with Lirha? Oh...oh, is this second thoughts? Are you running away? Come in, let's hide you..." she ushered her in, but with a playful smile.

Siren laughed softly, shaking her head as she moved in with her. "What? Are you going to smuggle me out in a suitcase?" she tsked, hitting her arm lightly. "I...actually have a favour to ask. A kind of awkward one."

"Why awkward?" she asked as she smiled, throwing herself down on a sofa and stretching her legs out. "Thought we were tight..."

"Because it's the Masquerade tonight and your first day of freedom after decon and I'm asking you to do something boring and trudging," Siren chuckled, shaking her head firmly as she sat close to her, tapping her outstretched legs.

"Hey, sounds like I can make something boring and trudging just...fun!" Aria smiled as she sat up, holding her eyes. "What is it?" she asked, curious...almost excited too. She had two...okay, three possible outfits for the Masquerade tonight and she was sick and tired of trying to chose between a short sparkly tango outfit, short, naughty angel outfit and Scarlet O'Hara.

"Would you go shopping for a wedding dress with me?" Siren asked, meeting her eyes almost shyly. "I read that a mother is supposed to help the bride do it, but, well, not got one of those. And everything I've looked at so far is just....ergh. I don't think I'm very good at it."

"Shopping for a wedding dress?" Aria's eyes widened and she grabbed her hands, searching her eyes. "I'm honoured. I'm excited! Oh my God, I love wedding dresses! Come on, let's go!" she jumped off the sofa, pulling Siren with her. "We have to try loads of them, the stupid ones too!"

Siren laughed with surprise at the sudden energy burst from Aria. "And here I was worrying...."

Aria smiled as she put on her jacket, arching an eyebrow. "Never worry...so much more fun with doing. Let's find you a wedding dress...any idea what sort you want? Long and elegant, short and slutty, a cloud of fabric?" she stopped and frowned. "We are talking human wedding dress, right?"

"Well, I am a human, last time I looked at least, you're not getting me in some Bolian get up," she laughed softly, shaking her head as she looked across to her. "I have no idea what type. I tried some short dresses on...I don't know, they just looked like party dresses."

"Long then...and if you ask me, graceful...oh! We need two. One proper one for the ceremony, a party one for the party," Aria announced, taking her by the arm to lead her with her.

"Think long and graceful would suit me?" she asked with a warm smile, linking their arms easily as they made their way to the retail promenade. "Can I be a graceful kind of girl?"

"You're graceful if you ask me," Aria said as they walked, watching her. "And you can fight too...so we should have a dress to show both those things off."

"Okay, let's start with that then," Siren let out a long, shaking breath, shaking her head. "Do you have any idea how many wedding dress styles are out there? And colours? I never knew there were so many shades of white. Not that I should technically wear white from what I've been reading about traditions."

She smiled as she watched her, nodding as she watched her. "Who cares about those stupid traditions? Wear whatever shade of beautiful white you want..." she leant closer, to whisper. "Because it's what it is about. Do you truly think virgins get married anymore?"

Siren laughed softly, shaking her head with an arched eyebrow. "Well, rarely anyway. Up here...." she pointed up ahead to a boutique. "They do some wedding dresses, I looked them up."

She chuckled softly, touching her back. "Then we head up there. I'd like that..." she said lightly, with warm eyes.

Siren pulled them inside but immediately felt out of place as she looked around the expensive, delicate clothing. It wasn't exactly her usual pickings. But then, maybe that was why her previous dress hunting had gone wrong.

Aria smiled with awe as she looked around, her blue eyes shining. "Oh..." she breathed deeply, as if she was smelling something freshly baked. No. Nothing of the sort, just the smell of never worn before clothes. She walked over to the rail, caressing over the fabrics. "Okay, first we need your size!" she smiled to Siren, with excitement. "This isn't just a dress, this is a dress you will only have the chance to wear once, so it has to be amazing!"

Siren looked around, unsure as she reached to touch a dress before pulling her hand back, thinking better of it. "I have no idea...usually I just pull stuff on and if it fits it fits..."

"Not a problem...."

Before Siren could object, a dark haired woman moved over to them, pulling a small scanner from her pocket to take her in. "We have plenty available for you to try on, but remember, we can always alter or create just for you," the Betazoid assured with a warm smile. "Marriage, is it...ah, then you will simply love our wedding boutique..." she took them both by the hands to pull with her through an arch to a separate room that held rows and rows of dresses from different cultures, styles, colours and shape.

"Oh....err...we are going human for this. I...suppose Western European?" she said and looked over at Siren. "I mean, there's something so magical about the wedding dresses from times gone by. Oh! Do you have any retro styles?" she looked at the Betazoid, her eyes wide with hope as she smiled. "You know, like...classic lines and that sort?"

"Of course," the owner led them to a rail of more Earth traditional styles from the past. "Now, I am Julea, and I run this humble boutique, so if there is anything that you need, even if you decide to go away and think about it, please speak to me. Anything you want changed that is here, I can do it. Anything you want designed from the library, no trouble at all...." she was looking through the dresses all the while during speaking, busily considering the colours and styles in relation to who was there. "Now this would be considered a classic...." she pulled out a corsetted sleeveless dress in white with a long, flared skirt that had a slight train at the back. "Pearl satin, the train, the corset to give your wife to be the figure of her dreams...."

Aria smiled, looking over at Siren for a moment before back at Julea. "I'm not her fiance. I mean, I could have been, if I was the marryin' sort, I just...anyway, Siren here is getting married and she needs the most amazing dress in the universe to show off how awesome she is..." she said quickly, her eyes shining as she met Julea's eyes, searching them. A very beautiful Betazoid with a nice backside...and Aria mentally slapped herself. Betazoid meant she could read her frickin' mind and she was checking her out? Mental case, she should sign herself up for treatment right away. For 'mentally shut yourself up' training or something.

Julea gave her a small, knowing smile, but had mixed enough with different races to know better than to let slip out loud what Aria had thought. "Well, why not start with this classic style, and go from there? You'll know what you do and don't like from trying it and we can hone it down?"

"Okay, why the hell not," Siren smiled, reaching to take it. She wouldn't have usually gone for something like that, but she was right, at least they could move forward from it. She went behind the curtain with Julea, needing the help to get fastened up with the corset section. "This is way more fabric than I'd ever usually wear," Siren admitted with a soft laugh as she came out to show Aria. The corset part was snug and dimpled with crystals, and the satin fell in waves of silk from the bottom of it, elegant in how it fell to the ground and in a train behind her, but very....formal. "It's also very....white. Bright."

"It's...beautiful..." Aria smiled and took her hand, leading her to the mirror. "But maybe too white? Maybe a slightly...dimmer white would be nicer? Crystals are pretty, but...do you like them this bright?"

"No," it was Julea who said it though, having picked up Siren's thought immediately and wanted to put her at ease by being the one to say it out loud so she didn't feel like she was being disrespectful. "You have a very good eye...the white simply washes her out with the pale skin and red hair. Definitely an ivory if you want to stick with the 'white dress', otherwise for colour I would suggest red or dark green. Black would look lovely on you, but we don't want anyone to think someone has died, now do we dear!" she laughed, patting Siren's arm.

Aria smiled at that, nodding as she looked at Siren. "Let's try ivory," she said quickly. "And I think something nice and simpler...you're so beautiful and you have the most amazing hair...you don't need so much bling on the corset!"

"Of course, in my opinion, there is only one way to get married, and that is in your glorious naked beauty that you were born with," Julea laughed softly as she pushed the dresses on the rail to look through them. "Too much, hm?"

"Definitely," Siren said quickly, laughing softly as she shook her head firmly, lifting her hands. "No way in the cosmos am I parading naked!"

"I don't know, if I get you drunk enough I bet I could make that happen..." Aria said playfully and winked at Julea, giggling. "But nice, ivory wedding dress...maybe a bit heavier silk so it is all slinky and sexy on this hot mama?"

Julea nodded with a warm smile, pulling an ivory dress out in silk rather than satin, so not as 'shiny' either. She moved to help Siren get it on, taking care with the more delicate fabric. It was still long and voluminous, but this was almost a medieval style; square collar, long, bell sleeved arms, close cut to the body but then flared out into a long, a-shaped skirt, but the weight of the silk weighed it down more than letting it fan out.

"Oh..." Aria swallowed as she watched Siren in the dress, smiling as she put her hand over her own chest. Siren looked beautiful. She looked...amazing. "Look at that! What does it feel like?"

"Still a lot of fabric, but much better," and Siren was actually smiling as she looked at herself in the mirror. "It's much more....elegant than 'hello look at me'...."

"And that's what you want?" Aria asked as she moved to her side, stroking over her side for a moment to just feel it. "Oh, that is lovely...look at that...maybe we can find something without the arms? I think silk is the way to go..." she looked around before her eyes lit up. "Oh! Let's try this!" she walked over to a dress...calling it a meringue dress would be an understatement. She watched Siren playfully. "I dare you to try this with a straight face..." and if anything, it would illustrate how much a classy ivory silk dress suited Siren, unlike this one which was shiny ivory and pearl roses. And big enough to hide an entourage under.

Siren laughed as she watched it with wide eyes, shaking her head. It was a huge, puffy thing, like a princess from a silly children's holofilm. "Are you expecting me to burst into song when I wear it?"

"It would be a bonus!" Aria smiled and pulled it out, walking to her. "Oh my goodness, it has a big arse bow in the back too!" she turned the dress to show her.

Julea watched with a knowing smile, shaking her head at their good natured fun. "Well, you need to know if bows are right for you or not," she said softly, letting them have a little fun, sensing Siren's anxiety of the enormity of the task, wanting to help her relax.

"Oh all right....but no pictures. If I see myself in it up on the net, I will hunt you down, Rice," Siren said firmly as they moved behind the screen. It took some struggling and a few choice words before Siren emerged in the huge, puffy dress, her arms out to the sides with it because she actually couldn't rest them down at her sides.

Aria watched her for a long moment before she burst out laughing. She sank down, giggling as she watched her. "Oh...oh god...oh...oh look at...at that..." she pointed at her, grinning. "You look like a doll!"

"Stop it! Stop it right now!" Siren laughed, struggling for breath with it, her sides actually aching at how deep the laughter wracked her, her eyes watering. "If I fall down laughing I won't be able to get back up in this!"

Aria giggled before standing and taking a step to her. "You...you look like you are going to burst into song and lose a slipper!" she laughed, touching the skirt. "Oh help me...it hurts..."

Julea laughed warmly with them, reaching to touch Siren's back. "There are...some clients who appreciate the unique qualities of a piece like this. I must admit girls, this isn't quite to my tastes either."

Aria nodded and smiled, touching Siren's arm. "But it is fun to try it. And I am sure someone looks...amazing in it. Just not us."

"Not us," Siren dried her eyes as she tried to calm her breath as the laughing wore off.

"However, we do have one serious consideration," Julea tapped a finger against her lips. "You have tattoos across the whole of your back....it may look a little strange having a lower collar at the back that just shows the top of them and not all. What do we think....cover them completely with a higher collar? Or have a low or open back to show them all?"

Aria smiled gently, watching Siren fondly. "They're beautiful, so they can be shown off...and they are part of you. But if you want them covered, that would be nifty too?"

"What do you think is best?" Siren asked, frowning. "I mean...I guess tattoos aren't traditionally romantic?"

"True, but you're marrying an Orion..." she smiled and touched Siren's cheek, stroking it. "It should be about what makes you feel good, Siren. Forget tradition."

Siren nodded, letting out a long, soft breath. "Low back then, show it all."

Julea nodded firmly, smiling as she went through the rail. "Then I may have one...." she took it off and took Siren's hand to lead her behind the curtain.

It didn't take long for Siren to emerge. This dress was ivory, but in a much lighter silk. It was a 1930s style dress, the style an actress of the silver screen era may have worn, with a higher neck at the front but a loose drape to the shape of the neckline, that led up and over the shoulders to sweep a low drape on the back, revealing the entire expanse of skin to where the fabric draped at the small of her back. There were no other sleeves apart from the thin layer of draping up over her shoulders, but the dress was long, to the floor. The light silk hugged her figure, with seams diagonal across the body, but it was light and flimsy enough to move with her. The bottom flared out a little at the floor, so while it hugged her figure down her body and to her knees, there was a slight flare to the ground, giving a gentle train, but looking natural with the over all hour-glass shape the dress gave.

Aria watched with awe, her eyes wide. She moved to her, swallowing hard. "You look...you look amazing," she said, her voice quiet with her awe. And Siren did look amazing. That dress fitted her so well.

Siren smiled warmly, letting out a long breath. "You think so? I....have to admit, I love it..."

"I love it too..." Aria smiled before hugging her quickly. "Please, please, please get this one? It's...it's you!"

Siren laughed warmly, nodding as she held her tightly. "Agreed. I love it. It's definitely 'the one' as they say."

Julea clapped her hands together, clearly pleased. "Wonderful. Let me find the matching shoes and all will be well."

Aria almost squealed and nodded, her eyes shining. "And jewellery...you need a bracelet I think. Something...classy and cool at the same time..." she leant to gently kiss her on the lips before pulling back. "Lirha's one lucky woman..."

OFF:

LT JG Aria Rice
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo
[PNPC Devin]

PO1 Siren Hex
Intelligence
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

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