After a small trip, the two arrive at Silk’s shop where it sits among many other varieties of store within the shopping district. A purple and white sign on the front boldly declares it’s name: Silk’s Select. The lights inside are currently off, but the shadows of a few mannequins can be seen in the windows to tempt the eyes of all who pass.
The owner herself heads to the door, pulling out a key. “Here we are, hun. My little establishment. Feel free to look around.” She opens the door and heads inside, flicking on the lights.
Limelight does so, looking around at the interior as she walks in, eyes widening in surprise. “...wow. Um… was not expecting this...”
The store is about what one would expect from any clothing store layout-wise. Garments and accessories are all neatly organized on racks and shelves around the store, all trying to catch the eye of the consumer. However, unlike most stores, the sections of this one are divided into things like costumes, lingerie, undergarments, and even a small one labelled ‘toys’. The mare even appears to have had a little fun with the mannequins in the store, some with beckoning fingers and others looking like they are showing off.
“What did you have in mind then, hun?” Silk walks to the back of the store towards the counter, putting away some things and taking others out to start getting ready to open.
Limelight continues to gaze around, still taken aback, but also intrigued. “Just… I would’ve expected an ordinary dress shop, or something… maybe with a little section devoted to stuff like this. Not the whole store… not that I’m complaining, that is.”
“Yes… I suppose I do sort of have the reverse ratio, don’t I?” She motions over to the costume section, where a number of different dresses are mixed in, mostly thematic or sexy ones that matched at least something else in the store. “But well… I just found I worked best with things like this, plus the market is less contested.”
“Fair point.” The earth mare walks over to one of the mannequins, examining the outfit on it. “I can only imagine how many babies have been made due to these clothes.”
Giggling mischievously to herself, Silk smirks at the mare. “The same with me, though that to me is part of the beauty of it. Well, that and making sure this motivates them to practice.” She is quickly reduced to giggles again.
Limelight joins in with some chuckles of her own. “Have you ever used them on stallions yourself? Or mares?”
Laughter fading to thoughtfulness, Silk answers. “Well… not really. I mean, I tested out some of my first works on a coltfriend I had at the time, but when we broke up, I quickly found I didn’t really have much time. Between being new at running a business along with school, things were very hectic, so I haven’t actually done it since then. Any modeling I do now is more for just myself or to make adjustments.”
“Huh...” The other mare goes back to looking over the mannequins, but still speaks. “Ever thought of trying again? Looking for somepony else? I know you say you don’t have much time, but I’d think it’d be worth a little trouble...”
She nods, testing the register. “Probably... I have considered it, but I’m taking my time browsing. Quality is important after all.”
“Yeah...” Limelight says with a small but still noticeable huff.
“Something else you want to say, hun?” Silk raises an eyebrow as she finishes her prep and unlocks the ‘employees only’ door.
She shrugs. “Just agreeing with you.”
Noticing similarities between sibling attitudes, the thestral pauses before trying something different. “So, notice anything you like?”
“Yeah, but nothing within affordable range.” Limelight sighs. “In other words, nothing without a price tag.”
“Well, I did mention working something out, so why don’t you tell me anyway, hmm?” Silk walks over, confidence in her stride as she smiles.
Blinking, the earth mare goes back to browsing again. “A couple of these dresses… more sets of underwear would be good… I haven’t looked through the costumes yet, but I imagine there’d be something in there as well.” As she mentions things, she gestures to specific articles that interest her. “What would we work out?”
“Oh, it’s simple trade, hun. You do things I want, like maybe some things around the house, maybe here in the store. I might even use some of my wares to bribe and tempt you. There really are many options.” Her grin is almost predatory while remaining sweet.
“...so, like some odd jobs, but I get paid in clothes?” Limelight thinks, then shrugs. “Sounds fine to me.”
“Fine enough to reconsider other more illicit activities?” Silk tilts her head as she wears the same smile.
The earth mare tilts her head as well. “That depends on what ‘illicit’ means.”
The smile fades a bit. “Illegal, dear.”
“...oh.” She tilts her head the other way. “How illegal are we talking? Drug dealing? Kidnapping? Mass murder?”
A yellow hand coming to meet her face, Silk sighs. “I sincerely hope what you do isn’t any of those…”
“Hey, like I said: what I do isn’t illegal in this city.” She smirks. “Seriously though, what do you want me to do?”
“Around the house? Clean some things extra squeaky, maybe help me with a bit of work.” She gestures around. “Here? Probably a lot of second opinion things, maybe give some thoughts on things I give you if something about it bothers you or could be improved, help with inventory, or maybe with a supplies run.”
Limelight shrugs and nods. “That sounds easy enough and not very illegal. I can do that.”
Taking what she can get, Silk nods. “Alright, now why don’t we discuss details? Like, for example, your first treat you want to work for. The more I find out your tastes, the more I can recommend.”
“Just some undergarments for now?” she requests. “The less often I have to do laundry, the better. I can wait for dresses and costumes and the like.”
“And here I thought you’d go for the kitty costume… ah well, perhaps it’s best to start small. Anything in particular caught your eye?” The seamstress gets into her groove as she strolls over to all things delicate and lacy.
A few minutes of picking and choosing later, the earth mare nods at her selection and turns to the owner of the shop. “So, what first?”
With a smile, the mare rings up the items, gifting them to Lime before showing her what she’ll be up to today. In short order, the earth pony is double-checking prices and looking for anything that has gotten stained, put back out of place, or otherwise fallen off where it should be.
With these little chores being taken care of, Silk happily opens her store to the general public, flipping her sign and illuminating the various window displays. Sitting down at her desk, she brings over a pad as she starts to plan out a few other things before the flow of customers truly begins.
Barely five minutes after opening time, the little bell above the door gives a quick chime as somepony walks in. But rather than browsing the outfits, this light yellow pegasus mare heads right over to the desk, a cheerful smile on her face. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”
Looking up at the mare that almost matches her coat color, Silk smiles, hopping up and giving her a hug. “Not at all, Asylum! It actually slipped my mind that you were coming over today.”
“Oh?” The mare tilts her head after hugging back. “Forgot about it during the move, I take it?”
She nods, gesturing past the mare’s blue-maned head at Lime. “This one here is actually one of my new housemates. I convinced her to put a little work in for a few things she wanted in the shop.” She winks at her friend as she whispers. “I think I’ll get her nicely hooked.”
Asylum giggles, but trails off when she gets a good look at the earth mare. “Huh… she looks familiar...” She turns back to Silk. “Where are you staying right now?”
“One of the student houses over on Clover Drive.” Silk shrugs. “Nothing particularly special about the place, but she and her brother have been very nice.”
The pegasus smiles. “That’s good. I’m glad you found a place.” She pulls her into another hug. “So, what have you got for me to do today?”
“Oh, just a few costumes that I want to check on someone who can actually give feedback.” She hugs back, giggling at how affectionate the other mare can get. “I’m on the edge of a new design for my lingerie, but I’m afraid getting the details right is preventing me from creating anything new in that department.”
Asylum nods. “That sounds good to me.” She glances back at Lime before continuing, a little quieter. “Should we go in back for this? Will it be fine to leave the front of the store… mostly unattended?”
Silk nods, patting her friend on the back. “It’s fine; I trust her, I know where she lives, and I’ve seen her wardrobe standard. All bases covered, besides this will make sure I don’t have to close the store or leave it open and keep having you back there half naked while I keep peeking my head out.”
“Fair enough.” She blushes a bit, but smiles. “Alright then… should I go back there, strip, and wait? Or do you already have the stuff back there?”
“It’s back there, but I’ll be with you in a moment to help and guide you.” She shoos her towards the back. “I just need to talk to Lime a moment.”
Asylum nods and heads for the door. “Alrighty. I’ll be waiting!” Opening it, she disappears inside and closes the door behind herself.
Meanwhile, the thestral walks over to the earth pony, getting her attention. “Lime, I have something important for you to do.”
Limelight blinks, turning to her. “Sure, what is it?”
“I need you to watch the store for me while I work with one of my models.” She points a thumb over her shoulder. “I’ll be in the back with her, so just keep an eye out for customers and let me know if any come in. However, simply crack the door and talk through it, do not come in yourself for the sake of her privacy. Okay?”
She nods. “Got it.”
Smiling, Silk nods as well. “Thank you, we’ll be back out in a bit.” She quickly turns and strolls through the store, eager to spend time with her other friend.
When she walks into the back, she finds Asylum already stripped down and waiting, sitting on a chair in a pink bra and rainbow-striped panties, both of which came from this very store. She smiles when Silk walks in and stands up. “So what’s first?”
“Well...” The seamstress smiles as she walks over to a pile of fabric near her stage surrounded by mirrors. “This first one is a bit of a different take on a classic. You remember my usual maid outfits, right?”
Asylum nods, giggling. “I always liked them. Did you try putting a twist on them?”
“I did. Say hello to the ‘poofy’ maid outfit!” She pulls out the costume, which definitely seems to earn it’s name. The sleeves are nonexistent except for almost spherical white shoulders. Below the waist tie, the skirt actually billows outward into a short-medium length skirt with multiple layers of white fabric underneath, keeping it out there. There even appears to be a bit of padding all over the chest area, though on the inside alone.
The pegasus’s eyes widen as she giggles. “That looks amazing… sure you didn’t go a little overboard with the poofiness, though?” She looks down at the skirt part. “I feel like that’d be held up so much, a mare would have to stand ramrod straight to keep herself covered… though then again, I guess that’s the point, isn’t it?”
“With this one specifically, yes,” the thestral admits. “This one is pretty much designed to give glances anytime she does something other than stand there. It even swishes side to side as she walks, or at least I designed it to; no testing on that part yet.”
“Well, I’d be glad to help you test.” She takes the dress, turning it over a bit before starting to pull it on. “So, you said you lived with that mare out there and her brother… what are they like? Besides being nice?”
Silk nods, watching to see how things go on. “Well, she’s a bit blunt while he’s reserved. I actually had a conversation with him this morning about not being so down on himself; was quite a verbal battle. She, on the other hand, seems very relaxed and does things like sleep until noon and not have a stable job.”
Asylum frowns after getting the dress pulled on. “That doesn’t seem like a good way to live… in either of those cases.”
“I completely agree…” She tightens up the apron straps to secure the dress. “At first I thought he was going to be the tough one, but now I have no idea… it’s only the first day, but I really need to find a way to get them out of their respective shells. Maybe I’m prying, but I think if I can help them as I live with them, then I should try.”
The pegasus nods with a small smile. “I think so, too. I have a friend of my own who’s always down on himself, so I know what that’s like to deal with. Sometimes he acts like the dirt beneath his feet is on a higher pedestal than he is.” She sighs, shaking her head. “Silly Winter...”
Silk pauses with her hands hovering near the mare. “Wait… Winter? Winter Solstice?”
Asylum nods. “Yes, that’s him. You know him?”
“He’s my housemate…” she says, voice tinged with surprise.
The pegasus’s eyes widen, then she giggles. “How about that? Can’t say I expected this… I didn’t even know he was renting out another room.”
Giggling with her, Silk shakes her head. “Small world… how do you know him then?”
“We’ve been friends for… a long time, actually.” She smiles. “Since before either of us had our marks, really. He was my neighbour when my family moved from Cloudsdale, and somehow we’ve always bumped into each other again whenever we move somewhere else.”
“Wow… the boy next door hmm?” She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.
Asylum frowns. “Don’t give me that look. We’re just friends, and we’ve always been that way… though he did try to ask me out one time...” She blushes a bit.
“Let him down easy, I hope?” Silk steps back, looking her over.
The pegasus sighs. “I tried… he seemed to be fine with it, but I never know with him… as far as I know, he’s been single since his previous girlfriend before that, so maybe I was a little harsh...”
Silk shrugs. “Considering how long I’ve been single, I can tell you there could be a number of reasons. Now, no getting pouty on me, it doesn’t work with this outfit.”
Asylum frowns. “I’m not being pouty...” Nevertheless, she forces herself to wipe off the expression and adopt a smile, if a slightly wistful one.
“Hmm… a little better.” She looks up and down her body, getting a feel for how the outfit looks. “Visually it seems fine, why don’t you take a short walk and tell me how it feels?”
Nodding, the pegasus begins to do so, walking from where she stands over to the wall. She blushes, self-consciously realizing the way the skirt moves just enough to expose hints of her undergarments, and tries to move as carefully as she can.
Of course, the seamstress watches every moment. “Well, it seems your liking for vibrant panties makes this part easy. I can easily tell when they’re visible. So would any lucky somepony you wore this for, I’d imagine.”
Her blush increases as she tries to hold the skirt down with her hands without damaging it. “S-So… success?”
“I quite think so.” Silk smirks and giggles. “And, if it helps, I won’t even have you bend over to pick up something. I can imagine how that would look and I don’t think this is your kind of thing anyway. The normal modest maid was more your taste, in my opinion.”
Asylum nods. “I agree… so should I take it off?” She starts walking back over, still trying to keep herself covered.
Nodding, Silk touches her lip with a finger. “I think so, hun. Of course, with you acting like you are, I’m wondering how you’ll act when you’re just back in your underthings again.”
“Honestly, it feels less embarrassing to be wearing nothing at all than to be wearing something that barely covers...” She starts pulling the dress off over her head, grunting a bit as it gets stuck on her wings halfway. “Ow…!”
Quickly walking behind her, Silk pulls at a few pieces of the garment to loosen it. “Well, that’s something I’ll need to adjust slightly… I swear wing holes are some of the toughest parts of these things.”
Sighing in relief, Asylum finally gets the dress off, giving it back to its creator. “Sorry about that...” She subconsciously covers herself with her arms, one over her chest and one down at her front, glancing at the door. “Um… you’re sure that mare won’t come in here, right? Or anypony else, for that matter?”
“I’m sure, hun.” Silk smiles, walking over and giving her a friendly nuzzle. “I told her not to come or look back here, and this is the employees area. You’re as safe as when it’s just the two of us.”
“Well… alright, then...” She slowly uncovers. “I’m just used to all my past jobs, where anypony could go just about anywhere anytime if they just had a flimsy excuse...”
Straightening herself and standing tall, Silk puts her hands on her hips. “Well, as owner of this fine establishment, I can tell you that I will tolerate no such behavior in my store.” Her authoritative voice sneaks in a single giggle. “Especially not to a mare who is a good friend of mine who helps me by trying on sexy outfits and blushing adorably.”
Said blush appears immediately at this, along with a small squeak. “I-It’s not adorable...”
“You’re proving your words wrong, hun…” The thestral titters as she moves to the next outfit. “Now where’s a cute one to match you…”
Waiting patiently, Asylum stands with her hands clasped behind her, watching as she searches. “...so… is Winter asking you for help like he’s asking me?”
Pausing, Silk turns her head with her hands clasping something in the pile. “You’re helping him with something?”
She blinks, then coughs awkwardly and looks away. “N-No.”
The other mare frowns. “You’re a terrible liar, hun, and it takes away from that aura of innocence you have.”
Asylum looks down at the ground. “It’s… something he’s doing in his basement… he made me swear not to tell anypony...”
“Ah yes, the mysterious basement…” Silk hums. “I suppose knowing you’re helping him actually makes me less worried, so that’s good.”
“Well, he does it mostly on his own… he just gets feedback from me. Sort of like you having me try on these clothes.” She shrugs sheepishly. “Honestly, I don’t even know why he’s doing it… just that he is.”
“...and now the damned curiosity is back.” The thestral huffs, picking up a mass of fabric. “Looks like I’ll have to distract myself by having you wear this kitty costume.”
Her eyes widen and she grins. “Kitty costume?!”
“Oh, you like that idea, hmm?” She lifts up her other hand, showing a belled collar, paw gloves, and even a little bow to accessorize with. “How about now?”
The response she gets is an excited squeal and a pegasus suddenly inches in front of her, waiting to take the pieces of clothing.
Silk laughs and pats her head. “Woah there, easy girl… be a nice kitty.” She offers the clothes.
Giggling, Asylum happily takes them, starting to pull the outfit on swiftly yet carefully. “I always thought cats were so cute...”
“A cute outfit, for a cute mare. Meow~.” She covers her mouth as she titters. “Stallions beware.”
The blush is back in full force as the pegasus finishes dressing herself. The one-piece cat outfit clearly has a combination of cuteness and sexy worked in; it also comes with bits of fluff around her neck and tall socks for her legs. The collar, bow, and gloves come on next to complete the ensemble, resulting in a particularly attractive-looking pegasus in a very form-fitting kitty costume.
Smiling sheepishly, she paws at the air like a cat would. “Mew.”
“Daww….” Silk plays with her ears. “Want to come home with me, little kitty?”
Asylum nuzzles against her, going along with it. “Meoooow...”
Unable to stop giggling, the thestral hugs her friend. “Oh, you are just too cute! I don’t know if I’ll let you take that off…”
The kitty mare hugs back, giggling as well. “If you want to sell it, you’ll have to. Plus, I can think of better uses for it than just putting on me for your own enjoyment.” There’s a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
Smirking, Silk muses. “Oh? Is the good kitty suddenly getting naughty kitty ideas?”
“Meow.” She smirks as well. “I’ll just say this… you’re living with Win now, and he’s also a cat fan...”
“Oh really?” Her purple tail swishes. “That’s definitely useful information…”
Asylum blinks, looking a little surprised at the reaction to her attempt at teasing. She soon recovers, though, and regains her smirk. “Already got your eye on him?”
“For one reason or another...” A finger twirls one of her locks around. “If nothing else, I could really mess with him with that info. Imagine if he saw this outfit.”
“I’ll warn you now, you’ll get one of three reactions.” The pegasus counts on her fingers. “One: utter disbelief and eventually scramming. Two: frozen with embarrassment and a pitched tent. Three: a tackle-hug to the floor. Whichever one happens will depend entirely on his mood and the context of the situation.”
Her eyes narrow. “Hmm… I’ll have to time it perfectly then. I already got reaction two out of him this morning as I was eating breakfast.”
Asylum blinks. “Really? How?”
“Well, admittedly I think it was just the normal stallion morning problem at first, but considering he still had it when we were done talking…” She smiles. “I guess he liked the sight of me in my robe.”
The pegasus rolls her eyes playfully. “Only you could make a housecoat into something revealing and seductive.” She then raises an eyebrow. “How did you even know he had… that problem? He wears a robe in the mornings too… at least, he used to...”
Silk just smiles knowingly. “I only saw boxers this morning. They were very restraining if what i read on his face is true.”
Asylum giggles. “He’s gotten forgetful over the years… well, hope you enjoyed what you saw while you saw it. I doubt he’ll let it happen again.”
Jingling the bell a little, Silk smirks. “We’ll see… I enjoy trying to throw ponies off their games.”
“As long as you’re not pulling his pants down. He got enough of that back in elementary and high school.” She smiles at the sound of the jingling bell, leaning in and nuzzling her hand again.
Starting to scratch behind her ears, Silk sighs. “Aww… poor stallion… I’ll be sure to hug him when I get home.”
She purrs. “Mmm… I think he’d like that… even more depending on what you wore… or didn’t wear.”
“We’ll have to see, hun…”