New Threads for a New Life

[Alex(is) "Lexi" Patterson]

It was quite a lovely day in Port Priestess… in fact, every day was a lovely day here in the Tarot Islands now that he thought about it. The last year had been… taxing, there was no other way to describe it. Death looming over his head, feeling like shit thanks to chemo, all the pain, all the drugs, constantly lying in bed waiting to die. He still couldn’t believe his insurance finally came through and paid for the pokemorph procedure… it was like a miracle… his own little miracle.

He held up the paper Doctor Moon had given him; on it were several specialty tailors that catered to pokemorphs, with details written beside them. He picked one at random, a human by the name of Cosette; it was a place known as DeVere Designs. It sounded pricy… he would just take a peek, he promised. He wasn’t in the right place moneywise… years of medical bills would do that to a person, but the other option—Royalè Emerald Boutique—sounded even pricier than that. Yeesh, he cringed at the thought. Now… he looked down the street at all the businesses lined up on the avenue listed in the paper; a small computer shop, a scuba diving shop, several souvenir shops preying on tourists… ah! There it was. Lexi shuffled off in his very awkwardly-fitting human clothes; human male clothes, he would note. His egg pressed out against his shirt like a pregnant lady, his beautiful shoulder and waist plumage were scrunched up inside of his clothes, the whole outfit just felt.. uncomfortable. At least he was almost there.

Lexi stepped inside of the shop, greeted by a cool rush of air. Being in the tropics meant most businesses and houses had AC, and if they didn’t… well, they probably belonged to a fire type. He looked around…

[Cosette DeVere]

The front of the shop had a nice little awning, with pastel blue and yellow stripes, and little multicolored flowerpots on the ground in front of the large display window. Inside, the pretty pastel theme continued, with a pastel blue wall, clean white tile, and all sorts of light wood shelves and displays with all sorts of wonderful clothes and accessories! Headwear and accessories on the back wall, outfits on display on the small shop floor, pictures of her designs and lovely designer sketches on the walls...And it was all so fashionable! He would see a lot of Pokemon-based designs, from a cute Flabebe hair pin to a sleek Umbreon suit and everything inbetween. The entire store was very inviting and comforting...Save for one tiny detail.

The Dusknoir looming over him, wearing a tan shopkeep's apron.

The pokemon looked him over, then floated through the counter and motioned for him to approach. It pressed a button on an office phone, and a noise that sounded like the wind howling through a graveyard in the dead of night came from the pokemon. If he understood Pokespeech, he would've known that the Dusknoir simply let Cosette know she had a customer. It would've also made Cosette's entrance from the back door a few moments later less surprising. The woman also wore the same apron, stuffed with all sorts of tailoring supplies, and had her purple hair pulled back into a smart bun. Half-frame black glasses sat on her nose, and her outfit was practical, yet stylish, with a white blouse and black slacks.

"Ah, bonjour! Welcome to DeVere Designs. How may we help you this lovely day?" Her accent was strange, but understandable, and she seemed very cheerful and bubbly. And not at all worried about the Dusknoir, whom one would assume was hers. How this foreign tailor befriended a Dusknoir was a mystery to the ages.

[Alex(is) "Lexi" Patterson]

Alex looked around the shop; it was a very nice shop, he would note. The accessories, outfits, sketches, feng shui… everything complimented one another, and gave credence to the fact that this was a fashionista’s establishment. He turned to look around and…

“O-oh!” he meeped, startling slightly with a small jump. He’d never been this close to such a large, intimidating ghost type pokemon. His fears were partially allayed as the dusknoir moved away and sort of… phased through the counter, though his nerves were definitely put back on edge as it, it… spoke? Arceus curse the fact that pokemorphs couldn’t understand pokespeak, lest he might actually realize he had nothing to fear. Then the human woman appeared from the back; ah, finally! The shopkeeper! He couldn’t imagine having a dusknoir as your greeter could be good for business… maybe it was her gimmick? Regardless, she was here now, and he was relieved.

“Oh, u-uhm… yes! Hello,” he offered a bit nervously, slightly put off by the gigantic floating hulk of a ghost that still seemed to be hanging around the room. He was usually so flirty and confident, too… “Well, I’m new to this whole pokemorph thing, and um…” surely she had to notice how weird and ill-fitting his clothes were, if she were a designer tailor? “Your shop was quite high on the list that the doctors gave me for new clothes, so I figured I’d check it out. I can see you’re well equipped and, um… talented.” It was a genuine compliment; her shop looked professional, her clothes looked stylish… expensive.

[Cosette DeVere]

Cosette had noticed the ill-fitting clothes, but had waited to mention it out of politeness. Especially after that one time she assumed someone came in for new clothes and they just wanted directions...THAT was embarrassing. She smiled warmly at Lexi, trying to put him at ease. "Ah, a new Pokemorph in need of new clothes! We can get you fitted with some lovely new ones in no time at all! Now, I'm sure you're worried about the payment, as many are, but fret not; I have plenty of discounts and payment plans available, especially for new Pokemorphs, so you'll look runway ready at a thrift store price!" She assured, motioning for him to follow. "Now, come along! We can discuss your vision for a new you in the back and get you out of those dreadfully uncomfortable clothes." Cosette paused, then called to the Dusknoir. "Angel! Kelly should be here in about an hour to pick up her two dresses and suit. I've already put them below the counter, and she's already paid for them, so just give them and my card to her in case she needs anything else." The Dusknoir - named Angel, surprisingly - nodded, and went back to watching the store.

Assuming Lexi followed Cosette into the back, he'd find himself in a small, cozy workshop, with a little bit of everything scattered around. Bolts of fabrics on shelves, adjustable and customizeable mannequins, a large table with a very impressive sewing machine, a shelf filled with binders behind a desk....Seemed this place doubled as her workshop and office. She headed to the desk and sat behind it, motioning for him to take a seat; one with a back and one without, to cater to tailed and winged customers. "Now, tell me what you want out of your wardrobe. What do you see yourself in walking down the street, or at a party, or even just relaxing at home?" She asked, taking out a sketchpad and a pencil.

[Alex(is) "Lexi" Patterson]

He nodded enthusiastically, whether it was at getting out of the clothes or the prices wasn’t readily obvious—was it both? It was probably both.

“Yes Ms. Cosette ma’am, that’s right,” he verbally confirmed as they headed toward the back. The payment plans and discounts sounded nice… maybe he would look into this further. He was already headed to her back room; why not play it out? He followed along behind her as she instructed her dusknoir to tend to her shop. Cosette might not realize how right she was when she spoke of the new him… he hadn’t gone around as a female a day in his life beyond today, and truth be told, now that he had to reveal his secret to her, he was feeling rather… nervous. What if she didn’t agree with his life choices? What if she refused to serve him because she thought it was wrong? What if she… laughed at him? He didn’t let these thoughts totally derail him, but it was definitely in the back of his mind as they arrived in her workshop. Lexi took a seat on the chair without a back (easier to measure, he reasoned).

“Um…” crap, he didn’t know what to say! Of course he had his fantasies, but he hadn’t really explored what he’d wear casually on a day to day basis…

“M-maybe a… skirt?” He blushed and chewed on one of his nails without realizing it; he was still in his I have to be a male, I’m not allowed to do girl stuff mindset, the reality that he had a feminine body had not yet fully sank in, so even though it’d be ‘normal’ his brain didn’t consider it as so.

[Cosette DeVere]

Cosette nodded and jotted something down, then thought for a few moments. "Hm...I have a few ideas, but I'll need to see the features you're hiding under there.  Can you please dress down to your underwear, Miss...Oh! I never took down your name! How silly! What is your name?" She chuckled, prepared to write his name at the top of the page.

[Alex(is) "Lexi" Patterson]

“I-I’m not… oh… right,” he conceded, realizing he’d been sitting with his legs pulled in and arms folded against his stomach, as if he’d been trying to ward away the cold. If it weren’t for the pink fur, she might have noticed his face was now scarlet as he realized what this entailed… he gulped a little, and focused on her question.

“I’m Alex...is. Alexis. But you can call me Lexi.” He glanced around nervously for a moment… Cosette was a… girl… right? And he was… well, mostly a girl… this shouldn’t be that awkward. He took off his shirt, holding his arms over his feminine chest area—there was nothing under his shirt, boys didn't wear bras, you see—as he hesitated about his next move; there’d be no hiding it… should he tell her before he did it? Maybe he should.

“Um… M-Miss Cosette… I have a confession… I was a… boy… before all of this… and I’m... technically... still a boy with female pokemorph features…” for as confident as he’d been at the hospital, being put on the spot here was making him stammer more than he ever had in his entire life, and it made him feel vulnerable.

[Cosette DeVere]

Cosette wrote down his name at the top of the page and rose, still cheerful as ever as he explained everything. "Oh, interesting! Well, would you like pants as well as skirts in your wardrobe, or just the skirts? And don't worry, dear; I'm a professional. You don't need to be nervous or shy here." She assured, patting him on the head before jotting down some ideas. As for the revelation, she didn't seem phased by it at all...And she wasn't. This wasn't the first time a trans male or female came in requesting new clothes, after all. "Oh, and do you prefer male or female pronouns?"

[Alex(is) "Lexi" Patterson]

Lexi breathed out a sigh of relief after her reassurances and slowly… hesitantly… let his arms down to his sides, and slid his shorts down, leaving him only in a pair of pink panties with white polka dots. He hadn’t thought of that yet, honestly… he hadn’t thought about a lot of things. He supposed… since he was now a female pokemon with a female body and a female identity, he should accept his new female role he worked so hard to secure. Should he refer to himself as “he” still? As long as “he” had a choice in the matter, his new life was going to include more than just new clothes and a new look… he would embrace his true self.

“I’m… a girl,” she decided. “I was a boy… but they let me pick anything… and I’m happier like this.” The truth… the sweet truth. It felt good to admit. With her identity crisis momentarily quelled, she felt a bit more comfortable in front of the other girl in the room. She smiled, regaining some of her composure. “And having the option to wear pants would be nice… I have a few pair from my old life, but I imagine my, er… hips are a different size now. Do you, uh…” she looked around at the workshop trying to gauge what Cosette’s normal clientele and/or usual outfits were, “do you do like, normal everyday outfits? Cute tops, skinny jeans, mini skirts, things like that? I don’t doubt that you can, I just, I don’t know! I’ve never had to worry about custom clothes, being human and all…”

[Cosette DeVere]

Cosette smiled and nodded, jotting down ideas on her sketchpad. "That's wonderful! And you'll be even happier with some proper clothing as well!" She said, going back to her desk and rummaging around in a drawer. She pulled out a tailor's measuring tape, and motioned for Lexi to rise. "Now, I'll have to get some measurements, including your chest and inseam. I'll also give you your bra size so you can go shopping for bras later; bras will help keep your breasts from sagging, so they remain perky longer. And they'll stay in place when you run!" She chuckled, starting to take the measurements she needed. "My Pokemorph wardrobe package includes two pants, two skirts, five shirts, a formal dress or suit, a set of sleepwear, and three pairs of shoes. For you, I'll also throw in a casual dress to wear out, just to make sure you have something besides those dreadful clothes you came in with." She explained, taking more measurements. "Let's see...Color-wise, I'm envisioning pastels and whites to go with your fur. To showcase your plumage, sleeveless shirts or simple slits in your sleeved shirts and bottoms will work well, and for your egg longer shirts with a pocket slit or belly shirts."

[Alex(is) "Lexi" Patterson]

“Oh wow, this is all…” she stood up and held her arms out as she was measured, “so wonderful of you.” She then blushed further as Cosette gave her advice on her new assets… she supposed that was a thing now, and she should properly pay attention to it. All of the clothes Cosette said would go with her package sounded so wonderful… how would she afford them all? At this point, she’d do anything to please Cosette; she was so nice, so understanding, so helpful… she hadn’t expected to be treated this well by a total stranger, as much as she loved her parents and knew they loved her, it was almost as if Cosette was more supportive and accepting than they were. Heck… she’d just go out on a limb and say she was, not almost. She had to take a few deep breaths to keep from getting emotional and letting out tears.

“That sounds nice, Miss Cosette,” she agreed, petting her egg softly; such a strange feature… it’d take a bit of getting used to, but there were odder pokemon to morph with, this wasn’t so bad. And she was kind of proud of her plumage… it was cute. “Miss Cosette? Thank you for being so… nice.” After Cosette had taken a pause in her measurements, Lexi reached out and hugged her... quite tightly.

[Cosette DeVere]

Cosette blinked, then chuckled and returned the hug quickly with one hand, before patting her on the head. "Oh, you're welcome, my friend! I'm only doing what I can to help you be stylish and comfortable in your new life." She assured, freeing herself and stepping over to the desk. She wrote down her numbers, jot down Lexi's bra size on another piece of paper, and nodded. "All right! Now, let's get some fabric and get you a cute little dress, shall we? I was thinking a sundress, personally; though it wouldn't show off your hip plumage or egg, it would show off your shoulder plumage well and be loose and flowing for the former two, so you won't feel constrained. I can also do something a bit more involved as well, such as something with more volume that would showcase your plumage and egg more, but I'm sure you'd like to get dressed and get going."

As she talked, she pulled down a few light-colored bolts of fabric from her shelf, including ones with flowered and themed patterns. There was even one with cute little swirls and eggs! She brought them over and laid them out, giving Lexi a smile. "No matter what you want, though, I'm sure we can make it happen."

[Alex(is) "Lexi" Patterson]

“Ah!” Lexi’s eyes lit up at the prospect, “I’ve never worn a dress before! Well…” she blushed a little, “publically. Anyway! A dress sounds wonderful, Ms. Cosette. Don’t worry about me, I don’t have much to do nowadays… well, yet.” She looked over the fabrics… the one with eggs was cute… really cute. She pointed at it. “I really like this one,” she said aloud. “The eggs look cute. It matches me!” She giggled a little. “I’m hoping to find a job here soon… maybe you can make me an interview outfit!” She giggled again; what would one of those look like, she wondered?

[Cosette DeVere]

"Ah, of course! I can make you a lovely little feminine suit; a skirt or pants would work, but for you I'd suggest a skirt. Nothing short; likely knee-length or so, so no worries about looking unprofessional. The blouse would be plenty cute enough to wear without the jacket, but you can add the jacket in case it's something very professional instead of a more casual job." Cosette suggested, putting away the other fabrics and taking another look at the measurements from Lexi. "Let's see here...We'll be doing an empress cut for your sundress to give your egg and plumage room to breathe, even while not being visible. And this fabric is just stretchy enough that we won't need to worry about zippers or snaps, so you can slip it on and off easily. Perfect while you're still getting used to your body." She said, measuring and cutting a piece for the bust of the dress. "Arms out, please."

After many pins, some sewing, and a Banette playing tricks by flipping up Lexi's dress during the process, the dress was finished. Said Banette floated beside her - Lou, she had said his name was, another one of her pokemon; why did a cheerful fashion designer have two creepy ghost pokemon, anyway? - as Cosette finished hemming the dress. "And...There! Your beautiful new sundress is complete!" She rose and set her needle and thread on the now-cluttered desk, then went over to an even more cluttered shoe area, where she pulled out a pair of white sandals. "You'll need these to go with it, of course, and they should work with the other outfits I'll make for you."

[Alex(is) "Lexi" Patterson]

“Ooh, that sounds nice!” she agreed as Cosette talked about the professional outfit. After that though, she wasn’t really sure what an empress cut meant for a dress, but empress sounded very royal and pretty, she couldn’t help but trust Cosette’s judgment, with her level of expertise and willingness to support her.

“Oh, yes ma’am~” Lexi answered obediently, spreading her arms out so Cosette could work. For the most part, she kept her arms spread; even the strongest and most fit bodybuilder would find it hard to keep their arms out for an extended period of time, so every once in awhile she had to let them rest… and sometimes, that would even be to try to push the dress down as it “mysteriously” flipped up! “EEP!” She’d call out, throwing her hands down Marilyn Monroe-style with the dress billowing around her as if she’d stepped on a vent. “W-what keeps doing that?” she’d ask as it was happening… though with all of the ghosts floating about… she was sure she could guess.

A different reaction caused her to put her hands up to her mouth in a surprised fashion; her dress! Complete!
“Oh gosh… it’s… so pretty!” she gushed, holding her arms out and doing a twirl, causing the dress to spiral outward… of her own accord, this time! “And it feels so comfortable! Aaaah this feels so nice!” She twirled right on over to the shoe area, coming to rest in front of it. “Shoes too? This is the best day of my life!” She kicked off what she had been wearing—bland things, some tennis shoes her parents had bought her when she’d been a him with cancer, not that he didn’t appreciate it but it didn’t fit the current outfit—and sat down on an adjacent stool. “My gosh, you work fast…”