And as it turns out… we clicked rather nicely
"You know~ when Cael first introduced me to these people I was really shocked, can you imagine how I felt??? just an ordinary woman and poof, suddenly I met one of the factions feared by every single faction that existed on earth."
"Were they really that scary???" I asked, from what I've seen they seemed rather nice and warm
"Back then they were a faction that was simply named as "The Family" when I was still working, we as workers get briefed with some factions that we're working with, The Sovereign Flame, Coalition of Remnants, Herta's Society and the kind"
"And they were a rather special one, small, never appearing, yet they had a Remnant that we wanted, Yoisaki Kanade, of course in the end it didn't end well when she was captured,"
"They barged in their place?"
"No, they took her back and no one noticed anything for 3 whole days, memories muddled, thoughts lowered, so the higher ups continued to search for her, things happened, they met some clues and decided to threaten them and well—"
"and well?"
"Judgement happened, though honestly I didn't know much about it, Cael just told me about them once and that's all I knew about them at the time"
"I see?"
"It must've been hard right? being an ordinary human when everyone else here is just either powerful or extremely well known?"
"Yes, I honestly felt rather anxious when I first met them, some were famous idols, others famous figures, and then you're telling me 2 of the 5 Pillars live here while the other 3 would occasionally visit—Hey?!?!"
"Haha, I know~ but they're all nice people you know~ You just need to get to know them, by the way you really have a nice figure~ who knew that this wasn't an overlay but your actual body~"
"Hey—I'm really sensit—STOPPPPPPPP" She was quite literally holding me in ways that would've gotten me expelled from the agency
"It's fine~ we aren't visible right Elysia~?" Her alluring voice paired with the way she was giving
"Don't worryyy~ you guys are cute girlssss it'll look cuteee" the Pillar of Recollection said as she did a seductive pose while still posing and making a heart using both her hands
"Uhm… Please no—Kyaaaaa?!?!?!"
"Hehe, you're just like Gaby~ so shyy to physical touch~"
"I'm not used to it because of the suits and avatar overlays…"
"Is that so~ well I guess we'll do it in private next time~"
"Please—No…"
"Hehe~ right let's go" Evelyn's hand found mine as she pulled me through the crowd of people, for a moment she looked like an energetic young woman ready to bring me everywhere, and finally we stopped at a shop written in Korean that I didn't understand
The shop itself was rather old fashioned, still using mannequins instead of holograms, the mannequins themselves wore soft, layered clothing—oversized cardigans, flowing skirts, some with muted colors others with bright warm colors
"This looks…"
"Different from the sleek suits your used to yes?"
"Well whatever~ let's see you said you've been wearing suits your whole life right?" before I could even answer she continued her words "Let's start with something comfortable~" Her hands were already holding a rather oversized cardigan in deep forest green
"This would definitely fit you~, you have the same colors as Gaby after all~"
"There's so many gaps, so many holes…"
"How is the fashion sense out there anyways?"
"Hmmm…" I thought for a moment, most people decorate themselves using avatars and overlays when in VR, after all the base layer being the suit and helmet were non-negotiable, "They have to be smooth, sealed, close to the skin"
"A single loose fabric can mean life or death if it gets caught, a single hole and your dead, most people only dress themselves up when in VR, they'd use any avatar overlays with effects"
"Oh that means you've never worn a skirt before?"
"Well yes? Wait technically no, I know how it feels I've worn it in VR but never in real life"
"Well, then that's the first thing your gonna learn~ Here feel this," Evelyn said as she handed me a piece of fabric, without much thought I let it flow through my hands, it was different, it was soft—very soft, completely different from what I was used to.
"They feel familiar… yet different"
"Well VR can simulate the feeling, the softness, but it can't exactly simulate everything perfectly, the weight, the crevices, the temperature, the sweat, sure VR now can do that but there's still a difference right?"
"Yeah, in VR it feels uniform and unchanging, does that make sense?"
"Maybe~? Now then, today you're going to be my dress up doll, hehe~"
"Uh Huh—What?"
—
"Don't you look great in that~"
"It's very… breezy and open…" I said as I tugged at the hem of my skirt, the fabric moving against my legs in ways that felt familiar yet unfamiliar, "I feel like somethings gonna fall of…"
If you wondered what Sera was wearing, in our standards it would be a rather common outfit that you'd see in Korea during the 2026 era, A deep green size oversized cardigan, hanging slight past her hips
The sleeves slightly too long, a simple white blouse with a modest neck line underneath, a flowing cream midi skirt that falls below her knees but just above the ankle, with white canvas sneakers, she'd look like a typical teenager/young adult in 2026
"Do the people on earth enjoy these kind of fashion—?"
"Well ever since humans achieved immortality along with Remnants coming everywhere, fashion styles changed, it was no longer about following the trend for a while, fashion became what you'll be wearing for decades or even centuries"
"Some people enjoy the fantasy style clothes you seem from Isekai's, some enjoy the noble clothes you see in Korean possession series some go for the sci-fi look, others mix styles, you see that guy over there? he's wearing a hanbok that was famous during the Joseon Era"
"The one over there is wearing an edo-period Kimono aesthetics, that one's Victorian inspired, some people even mix clothing styles, like that one over there, look what she's wearing" Evelyn said as she pointed at a girl subtly
"a 1920s cloche hat with a 2000s oversized cardigan. A Joseon-inspired wrap top with 1990s wide-leg jeans. A Victorian high-collar blouse with a modern pleated skirt and the one you're wearing was a popular style called "Sweet & Salty" which was popular during the 2000 era"
"It really is different huh…"
"I know right~ anyways let's meet with the others now" Evelyn said as she dragged my hand without waiting for an answer
—
"Do I really have to…"
"Yes, now let's go and meet them~"
"Oh? Eve, Sera? You're back?" Gaby said as she waved her arms as we approached, as I got closer I could really see how everyone were wearing completely different clothing styles, ones that I didn't recognize.
Mahiru was wearing a high neck beige blouse with slightly puffed sleeves paired with a sleeveless square neck A line-maxi dress in navy blue and black ankle boots, Hu Tao opted for a more modern Seoul street wear.
Wearing a black sleeveless crop top with an oversized grey bomber style jacket worn off her shoulders paired with black high-waisted jogger pants with white vertical racing stripes, paired with a black belt, baseball cap and belt with a silver buckle and high top sneakers with white laces
Truth to be told it would take a while to describe all the outfits, so here's a simplified version, Firefly was wearing an oversized blazer with a mint colored slip dress and loafers, Ellen with a oversized grey jacket with a translucent mesh top with a pleated plaid mini skirt
Misaka with an oversized drop shoulder V-shaped sweater vest layered with over an untucked oversized white button-down shirt, Lissandra with a black leather jacket and crop top with wide leg trousers and a pair of sunglasses
Elena, with a charcoal blue blazer with a cream ribbed turtleneck with a pleated tennis skirt and chunky knit leg warmers, for us these clothes scream at least a version of Korean fashion, but for Sera, it looked alien…
"Sera? what'cha dozing off for?" Gaby's word snapped me out of my day dream, slightly flustered I blurted out "Oh, you're outfit is really cool"
"I know right~ I styled it my self, the dark mori style really suits meee Oh? Eve? you're not buying any new clothes this time?"
"I was busy styling Sera~ doesn't she look cute~?"
"You look so cuteeee~ Sigh* I'd like to try different clothing styles once in a while to~" The Pillar of Recollection said as she gave me a quick hug before saying those words,
Snap
"Thanks Kiana~ I'm gonna dress like a cute girl now~" She said before sprinting to one of the clothing stores,
"And she's gone…" Eve said as she gave a quick sigh
"And to think eons ago you said you'd never get into fashion eh Gaby?" Elena said with a smirk
"That was a while backkkkkk, also look, isn't the style I picked for Kiana great???"
"Oh? that's unique." with a gaping mouth, Lissandra said as she looked at how Gaby styled Kiana, a bright red turtle neck with a black choker with an oversized, off-white open coat. The coat has distinct orange accents and white sleeves
paired with a high-waisted, slim fit black tactical joggers with utility pockets and orange and white detailing on the thighs with chunky high-top sneakers in a white, red and black in color, her white hair with streaks of red tied in a high pony tail awith a black crown-like crown accessory in her hair
"what'd you think other me?"
"I look cool."
"Yayyyyy~ Hugggggg" Gaby said as she gave Kiana a big hug, Kiana just stood there before giving a gentle smile and slightly ruffling Gaby's hair "Heyyyyy…. it took me a while to style my hair…" Snap "Hehe"
"Meiiiiii stop disappearinggggggggg" Bronya said with an exasperated voice, in the distance one could see Acheron slightly daze, "???" Kiana had a confused look on her face, and she said "I thought Klein brought you guys to Iceland???"
"I don't know." Bronya gave a dead-panned stare look onto Kiana, I could hear her mutter "HSR's Zoro I swear…"
"Oh? Kiana, Bronya, Mei, fancy running into the 2 of you here?" the voice of an old man could be heard in the distance, a closer look and one can see 2 familiar figures in the distance, Welt Yang and Senti? (Senti is the nickname for the Herrscher of Sentience from Hi3rd)
"It's been a while Welt, Senti" Kiana kickstarted a conversation as she gave them a smile "Shall we talk else where?" A nod from Welt and Senti anddd—Snap—Kiana, Acheron and Bronya were gone
"I'm backkk~ Huh? I thought I saw some old friends…?" The Pillar of Recollection said as she looked slightly confused before looking to Gaby
"The other me teleported them somewhere"
"Ohhh, it's a reunionnn, but don't I look cute~???" The Pillar of Recollection said as she twirled around showing her fit, a pale pink off-the-shoulder knit top with an A-line tweed mini skirt. a sheer, frilly lace shrug over the top with thigh-high black stockings and chunky platform loafers.
"Hmmm? Sera you dozed off again~ something bothering you?"
"Well, you guys act so human? I guess? I thought you'd act like a force of the world dignified, but you guys feel so approachable, so ordinary? if I didn't know you guys I'd thought you were just ordinary people."
"Well, do you hate it?"
"No,"
"Than that's all that matters~ let's go nowww we gotta show everyone how cute we all look~"
"I'm back,"
"Oh other me? where did the others go?"
"I teleported Bronya and Acheron to Iceland, Welt and Senti followed them there to"
"… I know you're not the Kiana they know, but that doesn't mean your strangers, Bronya accepted you, Acheron is a—Uhm difficult situation but you should talk to them, now go, we'll be fine, no one's dumb enough to attack people here"
"… Fine…" Snap and Kiana was gone again, my mind slightly daze thinking if I had use the public teleporters how much money it would've costed…
"Anyways, what's next?" I asked curiously, wondering what other activities we're going to do next
"well, we're still going to go shopping to Japan, China, America, Russia, Hong Kong, Italy, America, Singapore, Malaysia—" Nicole said as she recited a very very long list of countries…
"Huh—???"
"Let's go now~" The Pillar of Recollection said with a beaming smile as she held my hand, unaware of the feeling of despair creeping in my thoughts which were quite simple actually, How long is this gonna take?