Molting

Karisma always felt conflicted about coming to places where the ugly, unwashed masses congregated. On one hand, there was almost nothing she could not get, whether it be a good or service, that she couldn't procure at a specialty shop or even online for much better quality. On the other hand, when she was out in public, everyone looked at her, as they should.

However, she had come to find that Japan was the best of both worlds. Ever filled with small little specialty shops, if she was willing to look, all while being easily accessible to the main thoroughfares. She appreciated that a country filled with mundane cookie-cutter people, could also somehow manage this combination of sophistication and efficiency. Occasionally Karisma was surprised. On this day, however, she was not here to ponder Nippon culture but rather, attend to a pressing matter of beauty.

She stepped out from the small salon and bathed in the warming sun, smiling brightly and letting all of her jewelry and billowing, flowing garments to herald her arrival to the masses. She spun around and looked at the girl she was with. and smiled, nodding in approval. "Oh, yes..." She said. "Much more beautiful." She turned and began to walk, expecting Brittany to follow. "hair is alive just as we are. It demands to be free. Enough of that dreadful ponytail finally. You're not a child." She said. "But we couldn't just set it free either. It needed to be taken care of." She turned her head back. "Your body is a temple. You must make it both sacred and inviting."

Brittany stepped out into the street as Karisma began to walk away. "I liked my ponytail. It kept the hair out of my face when i wrestled." Brittany said as she followed Karisma down the street. "However, i think i could learn to like this style." Brittany said as she noticed that she turned a few heads while walking down the street.

Brittany felt uncomfortable as she and Karisma shopped in the stores. Brittany was not used to looking through windows and browsing wares as everything she wanted she just bought online and it was shipped to her. Brittany however, knew that this needed to happen and although something were more expensive in person Brittany has enough money to buy the whole store if she wanted. "Where to next?" Brittany asked as she followed Karisma down the street.

"This accomplishes that. However, it also magnifies your true beauty." Karisma said as she slowed a bit to let Brittany catch up as well as allow passersby to take in the duo for a little bit longer.

"Next? We're going to do something about that ridiculous ring attire. You're shedding your skin. It's time for you to put on a new face. Just because it has scales on it, does not mean that you should wear it. Do not simply adorn yourself in a snake. Become a snake. You were dressed like a common harlot. Your body is a temple, access should not be granted so easily. Didn't you have even a shred of dignity before? Being enticing isn't about showing off your skin, in fact, it may be the opposite. People desire what they cannot have. That is the sin of man especially. So... take something away. Deprive them and leave them wanting."

Karisma cast her head to the side. "You can do that right?" She said. "Your temper... it gives away everything. It is so unbecoming. Have you been meditating?" She asked and turned her head back to face forward, letting her long, silky hair swish in the breeze.

Brittany listened to Karisma as she insulted Brittany's old attire. "Of course i had dignity. I was proud of how i looked and i was showing the world something they could never have." Brittany said as she caught up to Karisma. "And yes i have been meditating. I have been trying that yoga too." Brittany said as she had been feeling a lot better lately since Karisma had taken Brittany under her wing.

Brittany looked at Karisma wondering just what sort of clothes this woman had in store for her. "So, i am guessing that my new clothes won't be snakeskin?" Brittany said as she always enjoyed the feeling of snakeskin but if it was needed for her to change Brittany could give that up in her pursuit to become beautiful.

Karisma began to slowly begin to pay attention to a few shops here and there, scanning for something that might catch her eye. She was always on the lookout for something unique but even as she looked like she wasn't paying complete attention to Brittany, she still held a conversation.

"Proud to be ugly." Karisma corrected. "Those are the words you just said to me. "Unable to tell the difference between beautifully enticing and lewd. There was barely a part of you that was covered." Karisma said, shaking her head as she measured up the stores they passed.

Karisma stopped suddenly and turned quickly and with a quick gesture, ran her han along the underside of Brittany's chin until she pressed against the point and lifted the blonde's head up. "With the flick of the wrist, you were baring all. There is nothing beautiful about giving away what you're trying to show off."

Karisma continued walking, sashaying down the block as she responded to Brittany. "We shall see. You must adorn yourself with what suits your beauty but you must not forget. YOu are the snake, not your clothes. You must epitomize the snake inwardly. Your outward appearance will reflect that no matter what you wear."

karisma then stopped again but this time she didn't turn to face Brittany. She looked over a small boutique with Kanji scrawled all over it and some fashionable outfits in the windows. "Hm." She brought her hand to her chin and peered thoughtfully beyond the showcase, hoping to gleam a bit of what was inside.

Brittany was still getting used to the way Karisma just up and touched Brittany as she pleased. Thankfully all the meditation Brittany had been doing was helping her not just snap at Karisma when she did it. "I just showed a little skin. Everyone in the league does it. Some more than others but i wasn't being tasteless." Brittany said as her outfit was easily used to win over the crowd that booed her every chance they got.

Brittany stopped as Karisma looked inside the shop they were in front of. "I will take your word on the whole inward beauty thing. Your seem to be an expert on it." Brittany said as she let a hint of sarcasm escape her lips. "Do you really think we will find something worth wearing around here?" Brittany said as looked around trying to find something she would like.

"Everyone in the league is and looking for the most base kind of shameless attention. You are no longer that type of woman. And good. I am.""

Karisma then strolled into the boutique. "We'll see if there's anything inspiring in here..." She said, waving her hand in the air dismissively. "Let what is beautiful speak to you, do not search for beauty. That is what others should do with you."

Jessica Ciora twisted in front of a full-length mirror while she checked out the curve-hugging, chocolate-covered leather pants on her lower half. She held up the hem of her fluttery white top to show the waist, laced up the front and tied in a bow, along with a sliver of fair skin on her slender midsection.

"Oh, these are fierce!" She remarked to the shopkeeper, a petite Japanese girl, roughly Jess' age. "What do you think?"

She twisted her hips to check out how the tight pants made her butt look, and stood on her toes to lengthen the lines of her legs and to tighten the muscles. "I like the ties down here, too..." She turned her ankles and looked at the laces that ran halfway up the outside of each calf.

She noticed Karisma right away, and acknowledged her with a smile. She was about to turn back to the mirror when she caught sight of Brittany.

"Hey, I know you..." She tilted her head at the blonde, and couldn't quite place her. "From TV, right?"

Brittany followed Karisma into the store and began to look around for something that caught her eye. However, as Brittany looked through the wares someone came up to her. This was new to Brittany as most people avoided her when she went on walks through the town. "Yeah, i wrestle on T.V. Do i know you?" Brittany asked as she was pretty sure she had never met this person before.

"Can i help you with something?" Brittany said as she looked this chick up and down trying to figure out what this girl wanted while hoping it wasn't an autograph.

"Oh, really?" Jess leaned back and looked Brittany over. "Yeah, that must be it."

She stood up straight and gathered her shirt around her midsection, and then arched her back and twisted her hips to show off her leather pants to Brittany. "Well, since you asked... What do you think of these?"