Outside Omens

The sphinx stretched when she got out of the car and allowed a genuine smile spread on her face. It had really been a while since she had been among people. She could almost feel it, see it in her eyes - the question asked, the time going by while the human thought and started to sweat, the thrill of a wrong answer, the satisfaction of victory. There was also the intoxicating, euphoric feeling of seeing someone die, watching as life fled from their eyes. And there was the taste of flesh...

But that, she reminded herself, was not for here and now. And she had just been asked a question.

"First? I think we should go in first. It is rather hard to buy anything out here, is it not?" She didn't wait for Chantinelle's answer but strode forward, wanting to see what the building held.

The place was full of lights, scents and people. Definitely people. She stood still, enjoyed it for a few moments, before she nodded, satisfied.

"The first thing I want", she said, "is clothes. But I recall I promised to accompany you, Chantinelle. So, in the spirit of us being here, together, I'll listen your suggestion."

From:

"Hmm, clothes is closest anyway," Ellie mused as she walked in the door. "And lingerie is right next to it, if I remember right. I wonder if they've got any decent minis. I've been seeing an awful lot of floral prints and 80's flashbacks lately." She shuddered delicately.

From:

Sphix shook her head at the floral prints. "I am not going to be caught wearing anything with flowers in it. I'm not some daft nymph." Not that she had seen any nymphs lately, and whatever they wore that sort of items, she didn't really know. And she had to admit some flowers were appealing. Like roses. Such wonderful thorns. "I hope they have something in blood red", the sphinx muttered and headed towards the clothes section.

From:

Bored out of her tiny mind, Katie watched the two... hookers, she decided, approach her department. Idly she wondered if they made more money than she did and if she should look into 'high-priced call girl' as a career option.

"Welcome to Selfridges," said Katie, a bright, false smile plastered on her face. "How might I facilitate your shopping experience today?"

From:

"Why, thank you," Ellie said with an equally false (but brighter) smile in return. Clearly, the salesgirl had a lot of work ahead of her if she wanted to convincingly peddle anything, let alone her own rather pedestrian assets. "I'm looking for miniskirts, at the moment, but my friend here needs to update her entire wardrobe."

From:

"Oh, yes", said the sphinx. "If you want to be helpful, you could find me a red dress." She flashed the saleswoman a smile that said that, as far as Sphix was concerned, anything other but helpful simply wouldn't do. "A red dress, and... other things." She wasn't sure what those other things were, exactly, but she was confident she would recognise them when she saw them.

From:

Katie looked at them skeptically. It was a good thing the 80s were fashionable again... Because miniskirts? Honestly. She probably wanted black leather, too, the hussy.

She looked at Ellie first. "If madam would care to share the details of madam's size, and madam's colour preferences, I should be pleased to," her brow wrinkled in thought, "... appropriate the, um, appropriate skirt for vous."

One of the other salesgirls had a French accent and got a lot more tips than Katie did, so she thought she'd give it a try. She turned to Sphix.

"And we have any number of red dresses, madam. The look this spring is sleeveless, belted, and knee-length with a fuller skirt. Would other madam care to share other madam's size and dress preferences with moi?"

From:

"Are you trying to be funny?" Sphix looked Katie up and down and sneered. "I guess you are, aren't you? Well, I'll tell you something. I did not come here to be amused. I want something to wear, and dinner after that, and you would better wish I don't get hungry while I'm still here." The saleswoman didn't look particularly appetizing, but if she was hungry and irritated enough, anything would do.

"Now, find me something that is long. And let me worry about the size."

From:

Ellie (who happened to know that hemlines were all over the place this season, thank you very much) smiled and shrugged noncommittally at the girl, as though to say I'd listen to her if I were you, and turned to browse a display of cute blouses while the Sphinx was attended to. She didn't particularly need help anyway, and watching from the corner of her eye as the ancient creature commanded her new minion was amusing. She wondered what Katie would do if she knew that not only her next commission, but also her possible fate as an appetizer was riding on how well she handled this customer. Not that Ellie really thought the Sphinx would eat the girl in public, but there were the dressing rooms...

From:

Katie blinked, unimpressed at the threat. She had rich women insulting her and ordering her around all day long and she generally got her revenge. So if this one wanted to look like a slag, what did Katie care? She quickly slipped into the department to collect four (http://www.fashiondig.com/shop/detail.asp?ItemMasterID=15341&ItemID=29234) long (http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Positive-ATTITUDE-Long-Red-Dress-Jacket-Outfit-14_W0QQitemZ160107933692QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting) red (http://www.johanna-hehir.com/images/stock/jh815cl.jpg) dresses (http://www.hotfash.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=105&DC=nxtg&gad=CKLsltECEghxJdKSPIo20RjpgL__AyDSwu4j) in different styles. And if they ranged in size from 0 to 18, well, that wasn't her fault.

"If madam would care to try these on, the ladies' fitting rooms are just over there." She pointed to the far wall, hoping Sphix would go.

From:

Sphix snatched the dresses from Katie and inspected them critically. The first one she dismissed as too frilly, but the other three did seem promising. Whether they would fit or not was another matter, though, and she gave the saleswoman a long stare...

"Trying them on? Now? I think not", the sphinx said. "You are trying to fool with me, aren't you? Take this one back, and show me where you got the others. I'll pick the ones I try on myself."

From:

Staring incredulously at the imperious woman, not that she'd know either of those words, Katie left the dresses at the counter to be rehung later and led Sphix to the racks containing the others. As if they weren't totally obvious due to the fact that they had long red dresses on them. Just why the ugly woman had to try on these instead of those, Katie couldn't figure, but her job was demeaning enough that she didn't question it.

"Does madam see anything more suitable?" she asked, bored.

From:

Sphinx fingered the clothes, taking out some to see if they were of the right size. She had never got a very good hang of the size tags; they tended to vary by country, anyway. When she had something that seemed like it would actually fit, she gave the saleswoman a self-satisfied smile.

"Yes, I did", she answered the question, "And while I am trying these on, you may go and find me a jacket. Make sure it is cream or gold."

From:

Katie disappeared to do as she was told. She had to go into the Women's Department (read: Old Ladies) to find cream (http://www.designerexposure.com/images/products/21614_1_large.jpg) and (http://www.back-in-style.com/files/mondi-cream-gold-brocade-jacket-2.jpg) gold (http://lulusvintage.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/isadorasequinshrug.jpg) jackets (http://www.sisterswing.com/Dresses/Paula/1GoldJacket.jpg), none of which were particularly appropriate matches with long, red dresses, but were all really expensive. She thought she deserved a decent commission for having to deal with such a bitch.

She brought them to the dressing room and called out, "Would madam like to see the jackets I collected for her?"

From:

Sphix had been trying on one of the dresses. This one she liked. She adjusted the shoulder strap better and smiled at her image. Oh, yes. This one would do perfectly.

Then Katie arrived, and suddenly she had to inspect a number of jackets. She took them, one by one, and placed them on a chair. Most of them weren't exactly what she had had in mind, but she would deal with that later.

"These will do, for now. Next I want you to find me some trousers or skirts to go with them. And try to make them... I bit less shiny."

After she had given her instruction, the sphinx strode out of the dressing room and tried to catch sight of Chantinelle. When she finally located the demoness she grinned and headed towards her new pride sister.

"Well? What do you think?" she asked, turning slightly so that Ellie would see the dress better.

From:

Ellie turned from the rack she was examining and looked the Sphinx up and down critically. "Cute," she finally pronounced. "Very classic. And the color suits you. Pair it with the right pumps and you'll be knocking them dead. --Metaphorically speaking." She nodded in the salesgirl's direction, dropping her voice slightly. "Little Miss Sunshine making herself useful? She appears to be somewhat lacking in cranial capacity..."

From:

Sphix was ready to sneer at the word 'cute', but then the rest of Ellies words registered, and her expression turned into a smile. "Classical, as it happens, was just what I was aiming for. And pumps, you think? We'll head to the shoes section next, then. As soon as we have finished our business here." The sphinx turned to look at the salesgirl, too. "She isn't so useful that anyone would miss her would she just... disappear", she said. "And, as you pointed out, riddling her would be hardly a challenge. So do tell me, Chantinelle... What would you do if you wanted to get rid of her? Rather... permanently?"

From:

Ellie looked at the Sphinx askance. Assassinations weren't really her forte. Which wasn't to say she scrupled at the occasional bit of casual wiling even if she was technically retured, now. "Me? I'd assume Incubus form and get her arrested for performing lewd acts in public. I scarcely think she's worth so much bother, though. I'd have more fun just playing with her head."

From:

"And you don't think that would be too easy?" Sphix narrowed her eyes, thinking. "Although even an easy victory is still a victory..." And victory, as far as she was concerned, was always satisfying. Even when it might not result in someone's death.

"Very well. Did you have anything in mind?" She had some ideas herself, but they mostly involved asking riddles, and as amusing as that was, it was a rather solitary business.

From:

"Hmm, nothing specific," Ellie mused, thinking. She'd come here planning to shop, not play tricks, but it had been a while and the poor creature was so very ripe for it...

After a moment's contemplation, her lips curved into a wicked, sultry smile, and she turned as the salegirl came back, putting herself at an angle to be easily observed. She leaned in toward Sphix conspiratorially and whispered, "Act as though I've just said something extremely amusing at the girl's expense," and then she quickly clapped a hand over her mouth and giggled.

From:

Holding a random collection of trousers and skirts in various colours, styles, and sizes (if madam wasn't going to be more specific...) Katie approached the two women a little suspiciously.

Slutty cows.

"I brought some trousers and skirts as madam requested," she said, her smile more false than ever.

From:

"Amusing?" Sphix asked, but then the saleswoman was already at sight, so the sphinx had no other option but to trust Chantinelle and play along. She called a smile on her face - that was easy, she had planty of them - and did her best attempt of amused laugh, even though giggling was really not something she tried very often.

She had to stifle her laugh to speak, though. "So I see", Sphix said, with a quick glance towards Ellie. She wasn't sure of what her friend was planning to do, exactly, and she didn't want to mess up her plan. Not this time, anyway.

From:

Ellie cleared her throat hastily and smiled at the salesgirl with poisonous sweetness. "Thanks, honey. Say, who does your hair? I've never seen anything...quite like it."

From:

"My... hair?" repeated Katie faintly. She shifted the bundle of clothes in her arms in order to reach up and touch it. The hos were laughing at her hair?

For the first time, the girl's face showed some genuine emotion. Puzzled and a little hurt, she said, "My friend Stacy does it. She went to beauty college."

Stacy had assured her that Mr. Crowley would love it - assuming he ever came back - even if he was gay. Especially if he was gay, really. Katie didn't quite know what that meant, but she went with it.

Looking at Ellie, she added snidely, "Does madam wish for her telephone number...?"

From:

In point of fact, the girl's hair looked perfectly fine, and Ellie might have relented and actually asked for the number if it hadn't been for the snotty tone of the response. "No, that's quite all right," she said coolly, whisking the pile of clothes neatly out of the girl's arms. "Be a dear and see if you can't find a few minis in my size, won't you? I wear an 8." Which hadn't quite been true a moment before--she usually preferred a slightly curvier look--but it was now, specifically because she was certain Katie wore a 10.

Turning her back dismissively on the girl, she scanned the area for other customers as she laid the skirts out along with the other clothes the Sphinx had yet to try on.

From:

Katie did wear a 10, so after her flat, "Yes, madam," she turned back to her department and made a face. Then she wandered off to look for miniskirts, choosing the ugliest and most expensive she could find. Mrs. Anderson couldn't get angry with her for doing was the customer asked, right?

From:

"That could have been more satisfactory", the sphinx commented, quietly. "But that's the problem with the more... indirect approach, is it not? It takes time to see the results." Playing like that could be fun, though. If one had nothing else to do.

"So, are we going to continue this act, or shall I go to try the clothes?" Sphix nodded towards the pile. "Those that are something I can actually wear, anyway."

From:

"Oh, I'm pretty satisfied," Ellie said serenely. "She'll fume all day, lose herself a few commissions by snarking at other thin customers, then go home and pick a fight with her boyfriend and maybe go on some crazy fad diet that will do nobody but Famine any good." She started picking through the stack of clothes. "Go ahead and try some of them on. I'll keep myself entertained..."

From:

"But we won't be able to see her do any of that", the sphinx complained. "And when has just knowing been anywhere as amusing?" She considered suggesting that they would follow the salesgirl when she went home, ambush her, scare her a little. But they were here for shopping, she reminded herself. It was better not to get carried away.

"I'll be in the dressing room, in case you need my opinion on anything", Sphix said and was off.

From:

Katie returned with an armful of miniskirts in all materials and patterns from the ultra slutty to the terminally tacky and mostly from designers who tended to size too large so that their vain clients would feel thin wearing a size smaller than normal. Of course, that meant Ellie would be swimming in a size 8 because it was actually a size 10. They all said 8 on the tag, though, and that was the important thing. Especially for those few size 4s that she switched tags on...

"Miniskirts, madam."

From:

"Thank you," Ellie said haughtily, taking the armload from the girl and nodding across the sales floor. "I believe you've got another customer waiting..."

The young man she'd spotted eyeing a rack full of lingerie would provide a splendid diversion--she could sense thoughts of his sweetheart drifting across the surface of his mind, and with a subtle nudge, pushed his thoughts toward that phrase most dreaded by any salesgirl in any clothing store: Well, I think she's about your size...

From:

With an insincere smile, Katie moved off to deal with the dull-looking man, temporarily relieved to be away from the two whores.

From:

In the end, there were too many clothes for Sphix to pick just one, so, after few moments of considering, she decided to take everything that fit even reasonably well. You couldn't have too many clothes, after all.

She located Ellie again and smiled.

"I'm done with the dresses", she said. "So, what now? Shoes?"

From:

Still holding a stack of miniskirts in her arms, Ellie raised her eyebrows slightly. "I wanted to try a few of these on. Shall I catch up with you?"

From:

"Catch up...?" Sphix glanced at the skirts and shrugged. "I recall you saying you can change the size of your clothes. Why, if I could do something like that, I wouldn't bother trying them on. But suit yourself."

She took another look around her, but the salesgirl from earlier wasn't anywhere on clear sight. "I might go somewhere else", the sphinx said, "or I might not. Perhaps I will remain here and wait for our new friend to get back. Unless I can think of something better to do."

From:

"I can, but just because something fits well doesn't necessarily mean it looks good." Besides, truth be told, Ellie just liked trying on clothes. She liked the feel and smell of brand new things and the sense of luxury that came with making choices. Also, she rarely had any other excuse to look in a mirror; miraculously perfect makeup and hair made it so unnecessary that she occasionally started to forget what she looked like.

"As you like. I won't be long." She stepped into the changing room and shut the door behind her.

From:

Sphix placed her own pile of clothes on top of a rack of dresses, fully intending to wait. Then she caught sight of one customer, a rather fleshy looking female, and then an interesting looking man... The place was buzzing with people. She closed her eyes for a moment, just listening, smelling the air. This was too good an opportunity to waste standing still, she decided. She might just as well take a look around.

For a while she wandered aimlessly through the department. Then a young man with a shopping bag caught her eye. He was heading towards the doors, about to leave the store. She hurried her steps, caught sight of his face. He looked... well, healthy. And intelligent. Challenging.

The sphinx stood in the doorway, hesitating. This was not what she had come here for, after all... but plans changed, didn't they, and Chantinelle wouldn't probably even notice.

With the reasoning dealt with, Sphix slid onto the street and started to track her prey.

From:

Ellie emerged from the dressing room a short time later with a handful of "keeper" items (all of which had required re-sizing...the little trollop wouldn't think herself so clever when she found that none of the tags on the items Ellie had rejected matched either the number on the hanger, or the actual size of the skirt.) She glanced around for her companion, frowning slightly as she caught sight of Sphix's abandoned pile of clothing.

"Excuse me," she said to the salesgirl, who had rung up the young gentleman's purchase and now looked like she badly needed something more durable than a department store counter to bang her head against, "did you see my friend take off?"

From:

The bitch was back and asking about her friend. Oh, why wouldn't they just leave already? Katie gave her falsest smile yet.

"No, madam, I was engaging in a participatory shopping exchange with another guest." She looked pointedly at her gold-plated watch. "It's unfortunately time for my restful experience now, but if you need any further assistance, please don't hesitate to speak with any member of our caring and professional staff." If the words were stilted and sounded memorized, it's because they were. Katie just wanted to get the hell out of there.

From:

"Fine," Ellie said icily, "I'll just complete my acquisitional endeavors with one of your friendly and efficient colleagues, whom I am sure will find it uplifting to receive the motivational rewards from said transaction, and find my companion myself. Enjoy your tranquil interlude." And with that she tossed her hair over her shoulder, spun gracefully on her heel, and walked away.

From:

The sphinx had always thought hunting to be a very interesting sport. Tracking and stalking were thrilling, and asking riddles - provided the victim didn't know the answer - was the icing on the cake.

After all the fun, though, there was always the problem of tidying up. Sphix found a mirror from her purse and checked that her face was clean. She also attached the few stray strands of hair back on their place, and smoothed out the borrowed dress. After that she smiled and stepped back on a more busy street and blended quickly into the crowd.

Finding Selfridges again took a little longer that she would have liked to - London could be so confusing - but in the end, she stood in front of the store. Now she only needed to locate Chantinelle again. But, as Sphix reasoned, she had been gone less than an hour, so Ellie couldn't have gotten very far.

Could she?

From:

Ellie had been and hadn't: she'd checked the lingerie, jewelry, and shoe departments (and made an unscheduled detour past the sweets counter) before circling back to the ladies' clothing and finding a different sales associate to ring up their purchases while she waited, fretting slightly. Money wasn't an issue, but she was less than comfortable with the idea of the Sphinx wandering around London unchaperoned. Or at least with the thought that it would be indirectly her doing if anyone became Sphinx Chow, as the whole trip had been her idea.

"Oh, there you are," she said in relief, as her companion finally reappeared looking too composed to have just eaten someone (right? Well, at least she wasn't picking her teeth with a fingerbone or anything.) "I was starting to think you'd got lost."

From:

"I was just having some fresh air", the sphinx said. "Do you think I'm in London for the first time? Of course I don't get lost." Badly, anyway. Sphix gave Ellie a glare just in case she would dare suggest differently. She had just eaten, though, and was on a good mood, so she didn't stay irritated for long.

"You have what you wanted now, don't you?" Sphix said. "Shall we go look for some shoes?"

From:

"Surely," Ellie said, handing over the bags containing the Sphinx's new clothes. "Here's your stuff. They have some darling pumps on sale..."

From: