thenearshore | [closed] shine no matter where you are

[Natsuru is, understandably, a little nervous about this prayer. Under Hibiki's tutelage, she's grown a little as an idol in training. But when you take out the singing and dancing and bring in all the new factors that come with modeling, it gets into uncertain territory for her again. Still, she recognizes that it might be good experience for her, and she's relieved to have Maria to rely on in the process.]

Um... what exactly are we doing? How do you inspire a model?

[Gosh, she's even nervous about meeting models. It's not far off from meeting an actual idol! Being called a muse, though... it's flattering, but she hopes she can live up to the role. For now, she'll do her best and be confident in at least that much! Maria's right here, if she ever gets completely out of her own depth.]

[By the time Natsuru's asked that question, they've come out onto the level of the apartment block that the model's home is on, and Maria turns her head back with a quick wink and an amused smile.]

The same way you inspire anyone else. Give them something to spark their creativity...which will probably mean doing a little modelling of our own. I'll walk you through it as we go if you're nervous.

[Which Natsuru likely is, given what she's like in Maria's experience, but she doesn't want to be too overbearing about it. It's better to help her along rather than trying to shield her from experiences that might help her grow into herself better.]

Oh! I see...

[Maria would be able to tell, she's definitely nervous. But she doesn't want to let on too easily or let it get the best of her! She's had to fight back nerves to go on stage and perform already, and that's going well so far. And like Maria said, they're not doing it for real this time. It's just like practicing at karaoke with friends. If she does anything wrong, only a few people will notice! What worries her more, deep down, is the thought of failing to help any of Maria's followers.

Most of all, being here with Maria helps. Knowing her god put her trust in Natsuru, believing that she would be up to this task... it makes her want to be the best muse for this model that she can possibly be, and more.]

I'll, ah... try my best. [She bravely (for her) asserts. Then, she turns a shy little smile to her god, in appreciation for her upcoming guidance.] Thank you.

[Honestly, Maria thinks Natsuru's determination despite her nervousness will be a definite asset to this mission, and she smiles reassuringly at the assertion. When the problem seems to be that the one who made the prayer has been overwhelmed by the experience of entering an industry they don't feel fully prepared for, just having someone totally confident and experienced like Maria probably wouldn't help at all.

As they reach the door and she knocks politely, she waves her free hand in Natsuru's direction.] Your best will be wonderful. And I really think she could use the boost from you as well. You're a little nervous, and she's a little nervous, right?

[Natsuru steps in closer, anticipating the answer to Maria's knock on the door. Maria's reassurance surprises her, though! She'd never thought about it like that.]

I... I guess so...

[It's really written all over her face how much this is just dawning on her. If she had to do something like this for real, she thinks it'd help to know that others are trying their best despite being nervous or shy or embarrassed too. Especially others willing to support her in doing the same.

That really clicks for her, and she's already finding herself empathizing more easily with the model they're here to help. She was always going to give this her best shot, but now she's even more determined! And she even feels a little more up to the task than she'd first thought.]

[It's good to see the effect that has on Natsuru, and Maria smiles at her briefly before the door opens and a somewhat tired-looking, but still very beautiful woman sticks her head out. It looks for a moment like she's going to question what they want, but before she gets there, her eyes widen a little at the two stunning ladies in front of her.

With a welcoming smile, Maria waves.] This might be a bit sudden, but I heard you were having some troubles with inspiration just getting into the modelling industry. I have a bit of experience myself, and my friend here is just starting to look into that area, so we thought we might come to see if we could help.

[That makes the woman hesitate slightly, because that had been a private prayer - nobody should have known about it. And yet, here's her answer, almost like a miracle.

Looking at them for a moment longer, she lets out a breathy laugh and stands aside to let them in.]

Sorry, I'd really appreciate it. I've just been really stressed with my first show coming up...

[Heading in, Maria beckons for Natsuru to follow.]

[Oh gosh... Natsuru's a bit surprised at the woman who answers the door, too. How could someone so beautiful be so nervous about something like this?! Realistically, she knows that having the looks and having the confidence are two different things, but she's still taken aback at first. She only manages to offer a nervous smile and a little half-wave when Maria mentions her 'friend', and the woman looks in her direction again.

Following the woman and Maria inside, she finds herself glancing around at the apartment purely on nervous reflex. Maria was right, though. As soon as the woman mentions her upcoming first show, Natsuru realizes she can relate. She thinks.]

Have you been doing this all by yourself so far? I couldn't imagine going out in front of people after just practicing alone... I'd be too scared.

[Wait, that sounds like too negative a thing to focus on. With an awkward, but genuine, smile, she adds:]

But that's why we're here to help! If you're really inspired and love what you're doing, then you'll definitely show it!

[She glances in Maria's direction after a moment, uncertain that she's actually doing a good job here so far. The last thing she wants is to make the poor woman more nervous.]

[The apartment is small, but rather nice, and immaculately kept. It's mitigated somewhat by the clothes strewn about the place, though, and one or two boxes with more clothing spilling out of the top. As Maria takes a look at that, the woman answers Natsuru's question with a bit of a sheepish grin.]

My agent's been helping me out, but she can't be here all the time, and it's pretty busy for fashion shows right now. I've done the walk before, it's just not usually this big, you know? [Still, she seems reassured by the sentiment, offering Natsuru a kind smile, which Maria also does when Natsuru looks to her for assurance.] Thanks. That's the kind of thing I need to hear right now.

[Maria straightens up, holding a short dress that had been haphazardly stuck back into one of the boxes.] Are these for you to match up yourself?

[The model nods.] Yeah. They say it'll make it look more natural.

[Humming in consideration, Maria beckons Natsuru over.] Maybe we can put something together, then. What do you think, Natsuru?

[Ah, she said something right! Her own smile is probably the brightest, most pleased of all of them.

She's feeling much more up to this task when she notices Maria beckoning her over towards where she's been examining those boxes of clothes. Moving closer, Natsuru takes a peek of her own at the garments spilling out of them.]

Eh?

[There sure are a lot of different items. But this isn't any different from piecing outfits together while shopping, right? After thinking about it for a second, she nods.]

Yeah... I think we could. [Then, to the model:] Maybe that'll help you figure out what you want to do?

[She knows seeing examples of cute outfits inspires her to select and coordinate her own. Maybe it's like that for other girls too?]

[The model seems to smile a bit more just seeing Natsuru's own increase in enthusiasm. It seems to get her on board with the idea quite quickly, as well, nodding in interest as she takes a seat back near a desk which seems to have some attempted coordinations of her own on it.]

I'd like to see it anyway, I think. Seeing people happy with themselves like that is what got me into shows like this one, where you don't have to be too this or too that. Might help rekindle the spark.

[That gets a smile going again on Maria's face as well, and she picks up one of the boxes with little effort.] It's a plan, then. Is there somewhere we can change?

[The model points towards a room towards the back of the apartment.] Just in there should be fine. It's the spare room.

Oh, I feel the same way! Um, that it's nice to see people happy about stuff like this...

[In Natsuru's surprise to hear something like that from a model, she just kind of... lets her feelings gush out for a moment. And then feels self-conscious about it. But you know, she's starting to see Maria's point about bringing her along because she might have more in common with this model. It makes her blush as she realizes she's literally about to do some modeling of her own, even with just an audience of one (or two, counting Maria).

She quickly moves to push the door open for Maria, whose hands are still full of box. Then, she tosses a quick smile over her shoulder at the resident of the apartment.]

We'll just be a second! I promise we'll show you something good!

[It'll become clearly apparent to Maria that her shinki is much more nervous than she lets on, once they're in the privacy of the spare room. It'll all be worth it if they can help the young woman recapture that feeling of enjoying what she does!]

Um, do we have enough to put together some outfits? ... I mean, for us...

[There's a whole box of clothes there! But Maria and Natsuru, close as they are in height and especially build, are two very different women, working with clothes meant for a third different woman. Can they really pull this off?]

[That bit of gushing gets some fond laughter from the model.] Then you've got a good head for the industry, both of you.

[Once Natsuru calls back to her, the model waves and closes the door behind them so Natsuru doesn't have to trouble herself again. Maria places the box down near the far wall, starting to go through the contents a little critically.

She can definitely understand Natsuru's concern, but she smiles a little reassuringly as she turns her attention from the clothes.]

We're a little different in size, but it should be close enough between the three of us that as long as we don't try to pull off anything too tightly fit, it should be workable. It's summer, too, which means we don't really have to worry about things like designer jeans that can be hard to fit between people.

[Even as she says that, she's starting to pull out some of the easier garments to do this with - skirts and dresses, and bits and pieces of layered, thin outfits.]

Right...

[She looks a little more at ease, with how Maria explains it.]

Wow, you really know a lot about this stuff. I guess you must have done a lot of modeling, too.

[She is an idol, after all! Natsuru had mostly thought of her as a singer and performer, but with how gorgeous she is and how great she looks in all kinds of clothes, she could easily imagine her getting a lot of work as a model too. Funny how she'd only vaguely considered that in the past.

Ah, but she's getting distracted from their goal here, isn't she? With her god's help, she's starting to have an easier time imagining the kinds of outfits they could use to inspire the actual model in the other room.]

Oh, so things like light summer dresses! And skirts that aren't too tight... tops, too...

[She and Maria are both... more than a little on the busty side, so they'd have to be careful with tops. She's starting to believe they can piece together something, though, and she's particularly looking at the dresses for simplicity's sake.]

It's part of the job, really...and even fitting for concert outfits can be a bit of a nightmare. It's worth it in the end, but the preparation can really be trying. I'm not surprised this woman's intimidated by getting into it.

[Especially with what seems to be a pretty significant show in a well-known fashion season. Even if the style is leaning more towards the models' natural inclinations on how to dress, that probsbly just ups the pressure since it rests on her to pick something good.

As she works through pulling out the clothes in the box, Maria notices Natsuru eying the dresses in particular and starts setting them aside. Given the season, they're all very thin, light and airy, some of them short and leaving very little to the imagination, some of them longer and more demure sundresses.]

Some of these remind me of what I've worn on beach trips back home, though it's very much the season for that right now. Whatever else we focus on, I really think we should be trying to encapsulate our idea of summer with our choices.

[Natsuru's eyes fall on some of the shorter, less demure of the dresses Maria's been setting aside. Some of those are really nice, yet when she imagines wearing something like that to model in front of an audience...

Well, she has a lot of respect for someone who does this as a job.]

I think she's really brave. [A short pause...] I mean, she hasn't given up! And I think I understand her feelings, too... a little bit.

[She wouldn't have understood, before she started performing. It seems so daunting, but it also feels nice to be able to share something like that with an audience. Modeling is a little different, but it's kind of similar.]

Ah... I always think of swimsuits when I think of summer...

[She blushes at the admission, realizing she might not have the creative mind needed to put together an outfit around a theme. But then something else sparks...]

Oh! But, maybe... something like you might wear over a swimsuit? Like you said, on a beach trip!

[She starts to more actively browse through the dresses now, trying to find one that seems right, somehow. Maybe one of the shorter ones, even? Being alone with Maria and this model they're helping seems like a good place to test how boldly she might be willing to dress.]

Would just a dress and some accessories be enough?

[Maria follows Natsuru's gaze when she next glances up, and gives a soft laugh at the remark.] Brave is one word for it, yes, but if you're confident in yourself it doesn't really feel that way from where you're standing.

[Maria just considers it the job, and part of that is looking your best for your audience. It's a matter of consideration more than bravery.

The swimsuit thing is a start, so when Natsuru finds that little detail to follow through to something they can make out of these clothes, Maria nods encouragingly.]

That's right. And yes, that would definitely be enough for this kind of thing. You don't want to wear too many layers in the middle of summer, do you?

[Being sweaty is never very fun. While Natsuru looks over the dresses, Maria is setting aside some tops and bottoms for herself to try.]

[Natsuru nods slowly in agreement, while she considers her options. That seems to make her decision easier, with the theme being summer. There's no reason to overcomplicate it.

Since it's going to be a simple outfit, the idea strikes her to make up for that with a nice pattern. There's a floral print that she saw that she thought was really pretty, and she scans over the dresses to pick that one out. When she turns back to Maria, she's holding the cute little halter dress up to herself.]

What do you think? It's not too much, is it?

[Aside from the flowery print on the skirt, the dress' design is pretty simple. The neckline seems like it would plunge enough to definitely show some cleavage, and the skirt would fall well above the knee on someone as tall as Natsuru. But it'd be more flirty than scandalously revealing, which is probably good for the image they're trying to cultivate.]

I thought maybe... this with some sandals? I, um. I wouldn't normally wear too much jewelry to the beach, but since it's modeling... I could wear some bracelets and earrings.

[While Maria's still digging out options for herself, Natsuru's choosing of a dress gets her attention. It does seem like a pretty one, and it's a good average between two little and too much, as far as Maria's concerned.

With an encouraging little smile, she nods, looking over the dress a bit more thoroughly to see if she has anything to add in terms of what would go well with it.]

You could, but I think you could also pull it off fine without those. Or even a single bracelet, for the sake of keeping it simple. You want to draw attention to the outfit more than anything. [Too much jewellery risks overshadowing it instead, which is something Maria prefers to avoid.]

But it's certainly not too much, and you have the right idea of what to pair with it for the rest of the outfit. In fact, I think the whole thing would suit you perfectly.

[Now that Maria says it, it seems so obvious. Natsuru had never thought of it this way, but modeling should focus on the outfit itself more than anything. Too much else might be a distraction rather than complementary.]

Yeah... you're right.

[She sounds lost in thought for a moment.]

Ah, I think I've got it now! Just give me a second.

[She takes the dress, and finds some shoes too. Finally, there's a bangle that's not too ornate, and seems to match the overall color scheme of the outfit. She holds up all the pieces for Maria to see, before she fully commits to putting it all on.]

There, maybe these together? If it's a daytime summer look, then it might work without heavier makeup...

[That element of being showy, but not too showy is definitely something Maria wants Natsuru to learn for herself. Given she's learning the idol business under Hibiki, Maria has some concerns about how overdone some of the shows she's exposed to might be, so she's taking the chance to show there's another option. That level of flash might work for Hibiki, but it's really not something that necessarily goes as well for everyone else.

It seems Natsuru has this well in hand anyway, and Maria's smile widens as she picks out the pieces for herself. When Natsuru shows them to her for confirmation, she nods along with the unsure statement, especially the part about makeup.]

Certainly. Heavier makeup is a liability in summer, anyway - you want it light so it doesn't run if you sweat, or if you're getting wet at the beach. I'm glad to see you picking something like that out so confidently.

Right... exactly.

[Her shy smile brightens up at the confirmation. She doesn't feel all that confident yet, since she's very aware of how much she leans on the opinions of those around her. But she's working on it, and hearing Maria confirm her own thoughts makes her that much more certain of herself for next time.

Her selections made, she sets them aside and starts to undress so she can try them on. She angles her body slightly away from Maria, in a show of modesty but not really attempting to hide, while she continues to speak.]

Well, I just thought heavier makeup would be normal for modeling, but sometimes a natural look makes more sense with what you're wearing.

[She doesn't even add a 'Right?' at the end this time! Progress!]

Yes, that's exactly it. Heaver makeup isn't uncommon, but it can also depend on the modelling setup--

[There's a knock on the wall at that, and Maria glances up sharply at the interruption. It's explained just about immediately, though, by the apologetic voice of their host issuing through the closed door.]

I'm so sorry, I just remembered from overhearing you talk - I had some makeup I was supposed to be picking up from a store nearby. I can get it myself if you need it...

[Maria heads over to the door so Natsuru can keep herself covered and out of sight, just opening the door a crack to respond with a shake of the head.] I'm sure we can do it - just give us a moment to finalise the first outfit, and we'll go get it for you. Right, Natsuru?

[Natsuru jumps a little at the sudden interruption, and glances back briefly just to see what's going on. She soon returns to getting dressed, though, finding the dress to at least seem to be an okay fit. She hasn't gotten it zipped yet, having planned to ask Maria to help, so she moves on to the bracelet and then shoes. Fortunately, she's pretty comfortable with heels; there hadn't been many flats available in the selection, and none that she thought would go as well with the dress as these.]

Oh, sure! We can take care of it!

[She doesn't see any reason why not! They're here to help her, after all!

In a quieter voice, directed more to her god, she adds:]

Can you help me zip this up? I think it probably fits...

[With that, the model nods gratefully and withdraws with a quick apology, considering it was hard to miss that she'd interrupted something. After sliding the door shut again, Maria heads over to help Natsuru get into what she's wearing properly.

Looking over the zip, she takes the two sides of it a little carefully in one hand, before tweaking the zip with the other.] I think it's jammed, hold on a moment...

[With a few little tugs, Maria manages to unsnarl the zip from the fabric it was caught on, and pulls it up Natsuru's back. She can already tell before she finishes closing it that the dress fits, and she nods rather approvingly when she gets to the end.]

There. It looks good.

[Oh, gosh. She can feel her cheeks heating up already from the longer-than-expected physical contact. Even after getting used to her vessel form a little more, it's the ordinary moments like this that fluster her more.

But the touch of Maria's hands on her back is light and fleeting, and soon all but forgotten as the zipper is unsnarled and properly fastened up. She can feel the fabric hugging her figure just enough, reassuring her before she even gets a chance to look in a mirror that the fit must be decent enough.]

Really?

[A happy little smile traces her lips, with maybe just a hint of pride at the compliment.]

Th-Thank you. [Glancing in the mirror, she does a turn and examines how her chosen pieces all come together as an outfit. From the look in her eyes, she's definitely satisfied.]

I think you were right... it's best not to overdo it.

[Considering how she expected Natsuru to react, Maria was careful to only keep the contact as short as it was. It's a little amusing to see her flustered sometimes, but it's not something she wants to prompt any more than she has to.

Her reaction to the compliment is much more reassuring, and Maria looks over her as she turns in front of the mirror.]

It's my honest opinion. I think everyone deserves that much. [Honesty, that is. She's never understood the point of lying about something like how an outfit looks to make someone feel better, since it would often just have them feeling worse in the end. Why not find something better?]

It might just be because I associate those more complicated outfits with things like concerts, but yes, simple outfits are often the best. People don't get all that dressed up when they go out day-to-day, after all.

Yeah... and we won't stand out so much if we're going to run an errand too.

[Not that they have to worry about standing out in general. Now that she's all dressed, she curiously glances over to see what Maria's picked out for herself.]

Should we go out and model for her first?

That as well, though it might be better to get it done before I change. [And that might answer Natsuru's question of itself, but Maria elaborates regardless, setting her chosen clothing neatly aside for the moment.]

It might be best to do it when we get back, so she's not focused on having forgotten the makeup instead of getting back into the modelling.

I guess...

[But that leaves Natsuru in an awkward spot, having already changed.]

Won't it ruin it if she sees me like this, though? Should I cover up?

[Looking around, her eye catches a lightweight belted jacket on a hanger that looks like it'd be long enough to cover most of the dress.]

Ah, here we go! Something like this?

[She holds the jacket up to herself, looking to Maria for her opinion.]

[Ruining it isn't quite what Maria was thinking, but then again, covering it up isn't difficult either. So when Natsuru picks up the coat, she looks it over compared to the dress and nods in confirmation.]

That should be fine. I don't think it would be too much trouble, but it would spoil part of the surprise. [While she'll wait for Natsuru to put it on, she has one hand on the door so they can leave quickly when she does. It seems like this is a relatively urgent matter, and she doesn't want to accidentally leave it too long and miss the opportunity.]

[Once the coat is on, Natsuru takes the hint and follows Maria towards the door.]

Right! I thought it'd be more inspiring if she didn't already see it before we model for her.

[She's probably mid-sentence as they step out into the apartment, and flashes a bashful little smile at the woman they're helping on this prayer.]

H-Hey... we're gonna take care of this real quick and then we'll be right back. You can definitely rely on us!

[The model smiles and waves, seemingly focusing on something at her cluttered desk for now.] Thank you. The store is just a few streets away, I'll give you the address.

[Writing it down on a piece of paper, she offers it to Maria, who accepts it gratefully.] We'll be right back, then. I hope that goes well for you in the meantime.

[She nods at the papers on the desk - there's guides for makeup patterns and styles half-written up by the model. The woman smiles a little reservedly, and Maria gives a more encouraging one back as she gestures for Natsuru to follow her out.]

[Natsuru gives the woman a little wave before following Maria out. She'd noticed the papers too, though. It makes her wonder... just how different is it for a model, figuring out the right makeup to use? Soon, she finds herself speaking her thoughts out loud.]

Do all models work that hard on makeup?

I know there's lots of different techniques! They're all over the internet. But she seemed to be working really hard on all kinds of styles...

[It just seemed a bit much, for someone who's only used to casually experimenting with makeup as a normal, everyday girl.]

[Maria closes the door behind them and starts to walk down the stairs, pulling out her phone so she can input the store address into her map app.] I'd say she's trying to make a good first impression. Even something like interesting or unique use of make-up can be a talking point for someone only just getting into the industry.

[There is another possibility that Maria takes a few more moments to raise, after she's sorted out their destination.] Or perhaps she also wants to do make-up artistry on the side.

[Huh...]

So something like that is a useful skill, too...

[She'd never considered that. She supposes one can't be a model forever, and 'makeup artist' sounds like a good related backup skill. Probably fashion design and hair styling too.]

Being a model is way more complicated than I thought.

It is a bit, but a lot of people only partially dabble in the industry. Like me - I'm mainly a singer, even if I've done modelling before.

[As they reach the bottom of the stairs, Maria points down the street to their left.]

Looks like this is the shortest way to the store from here.

[closed] shine no matter where you are

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prayer 51 count starts here

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