[OPEN] rei tried so hard and got so far

[flowerclips]

ɪ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪᴅ ᴄᴀғᴇ ʜᴀs ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ ᴇᴍᴘʟᴏʏᴇᴇ (8/23)

[ guess who got a job at the maid cafe? heck yeah, rei did!! and she's going to be the best gosh darn maid that hirajiro has ever seen. ]

[ ... though she's actually not serving. she's just been put on flyer duty so she stands outside the cafe, dressed in a cute maid outfit (though hm, the skirt seems a little longer than it should be for maids?), her hair tied up, and holding an armful of flyers. she'll hand them out to each person who passes by. ]

Hello! Please come visit our cafe!

[ a) you can be right there when she's handing out the flyers or maybe you're the one she hands the flyer to! ]
[ b) or you can find her when a particularly sudden gust of wind blows past and she drops her flyers everywhere :( now she has to scramble across the floor to grab them. her first day of the job isn't going as well as she thought. ]

ɪɪ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ sʜᴏʀᴛ (8/24 ~ 8/27)

[ things continue to go badly for rei because for some reason, she is now a tiny kid who stands at small 3'0" height, which is quite impressive because she was already tiny at 4'9" but now she's a little kid that you could probably trample over and not even realize it. well, at least luck is on her side because raiding the lost-and-found at the inn nets her a t-shirt and pair of shorts that kind of fit her. why were children's clothes in the lost-and-found at this haunted and ominous inn... hey, don't think about it and come join rei on her adventures as a kid as she can be doing anything of the following for the next three days: ]

[ a) being this short sucks! she can't reach any of the vending machines anymore :( she jumps hopelessly while holding her coins so she can try and throw them into the slot. so far, she is not succeeding... ]
[ b) being this short still sucks! she's now attempting to grab something at the market but, of course, it's on the top shelf that's way higher than she can reach. there's no one around to help so she has to take matters into her own hands... and start climbing the shelves like some kind of gremlin child. she's going to get her delicious cookies one way or another :/ ]
[ c) she still has to go to work! but her maid outfit doesn't fit her anymore... so she now stands outside the maid cafe, wearing an outfit that's far too big on her and still trying to hand out flyers. she looks like one of those kids who tries to wear their mom and dad's clothes and act like a grown-up. luckily, the manager is out so she can kind of get away with this because the other employees are very much ??? about this. do they stop this child who looks just like rei from doing real rei's job or just let fake child rei do her thing if it makes her happy... this scenario isn't in the employee handbook. ]

ɪɪɪ. ғᴜᴄᴋ ʏᴏᴜ, ʜᴀᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴɴ!!!! (8/28)

[ rei's finally had it. things have been going out of control the past week and this is the final straw. she can't stay at the inn anymore. she has been sleeping in her room with the lamp on every single night, but no more. there are now ghost cats in the inn and she can't do it anymore so she has packed up her bags and moved out!! goodbye, inn, you were terrible!! ]

[ ... the only problem is that she doesn't really know where to go. ]

[ she can't stay out in the forest and she can't sleep on the streets. her options are limited so she is either: ]

[ a: wandering the streets while wearing three layers of clothes and then a cape and carrying a heavy backpack and tote bag. she is dying in the heat but she doesn't have enough room in her bags to carry everything so she just decided to wear as many things at once. this is just like what you do at the airport when you don't want luggage over the weight limit. she just layers up and i guess that's just how she's walking in the streets. nice. ]
[ b: ... she doesn't get far in those clothes and with everything because she passes out a few minutes later and lies on the very nice and cool floor. ]
[ c: the velvet room is now her home. she can chill in here until she can find a place to go. she just claims a part of the lounge as her own and has taken all of her layers but one, placing the clothes over her newly claimed couch since she still doesn't have space in her bags for them. this is her domain. ]

ɪᴠ. ᴡɪʟᴅᴄᴀʀᴅ ғᴏʀ sʟᴇᴇᴘʏ ɪᴄʜɪ

[ i typed out all this while really sleepy and tired and on a yolo so if you'd like to do something else, ignore everything above and let's start something new!! ]

Comments

ii-c, 8/24

[overstrain]

[ It may not be in the employee handbook, but Terry is sure controlling the cafe behind the scenes while the owner is gone, despite having to work for no pay for a week. Despite being a part-timer who's generally unreliable at showing up lately (though he does call in for absence beforehand when he can), he's still really good at his job and coaxes the customers to come back, which in return, makes more sales.

He notices that Rei is supposed to be on shift right now, so he walks outside to check on her (he didn't get to see her before), but where... is she--

He looks down.

...

Maybe he's having vertigo or something that messes up with perspective, but Rei sure looks... shorter...? ]

Rei...? I thought they gave you the uniform for your size.

[flowerclips]

[ rei looks up at terry, but she really has to crane her entire body to look at him. look at this size difference. it's blowing my mind. ]

Um, it was in my size yesterday!

[ hm, her voice is higher in pitch. her voice was already pretty high in pitch but this is just squeaky. ]

I'll probably grow back into it.

[overstrain]

You'll grow back... what?

[ Terry sounds like he's in such disbelief. Rei might as well be half his size and it's really bad that he has to tilt his head down to actually see her. ]

Is someone... bullying you...?

[ Terry glances over at the maid who's been working alongside Rei, also passing out flyers. Natsuki, the same one that did Terry's makeup before, looks over at him in response.

"You're such a siscon, Nowell-kun. Rei-chan is an independent girl now! She doesn't need help from you!"

Terry looks at Natsuki for a good moment before lifting Rei by the sides up to his eye level. ]

Look at her! How can she work like this?!

[ He totally ignored the siscon comment. ]

[flowerclips]

[ rei is suddenly lifted up?! and not in a doki-doki way like when someone carries you in their arms or with sweet romantic intent. no, she's being lifted up like a child and oh wow, this is suddenly high up, hm, this is concerning. ]

T-- T-chan--! L-Let me down!

[ she squirms a little in his hands. her outfit practically is draping over her and flies around as she struggles. ]

[overstrain]

[ "You're scaring her, Nowell-kun! Let her down!"

Terry sighs and lets Rei down on the ground gently. ]

Do you get it now?

[ "No. Besides, she wants to work, so let her work! She's been fantastic and she catches everyone's attention from how cute she is! Even I'm a bit jealous, but maybe I should just make her look even cuter."

Terry just raises an eyebrow at that... ]

[flowerclips]

[ she lets out a breath of relief once she's back on the ground. that's better... she doesn't really understand what natsuki meant by the "siscon" part but since terry didn't address it, she won't address it either. instead, another part catches her attention instead. ]

Cuter? I can be cuter?

[ she looks up at natsuki. what does that mean? ]

[overstrain]

[ "I'm a pro makeup artist." Wow, it's as if she carried a makeup wand at all times, because she suddenly has one between her fingers. "By that, I mean I love putting makeup on other people! It's so fun and I can make them look really pretty." Natsuki throws a side glance at Terry, and he... just rolls his eyes. He doesn't need to be Emily again, nor does he want to. Yamete. ]

If Rei says it's fine... but you better not cake her skin full of it.

[ "I'm not you, Nowell-kun."

Christ. This girl is so sassy. ]

[flowerclips]

[ rei is just looking up at both natsuki and terry, turning her tiny little head to whoever's speaking. her neck is starting to hurt with all this staring, though... ]

I never put on makeup before so I don't really know what it'd be like...

[ she wouldn't be opposed to it?? but also wouldn't really know what to expect. ]

[overstrain]

[ "You're gonna love it, Rei-chan! Come on! I'll take you to the back. Nowell-kun, take my spot while I go get Rei-chan all prettied up." Natsuki holds Rei's hand and starts taking her to the back employee room, but Terry is immediately wary-- but Natsuki slams the door in his face. ]

Hey! Unlock this door!

[ "No boys allowed!"

Terry grumbles, but backs away from the door and gets someone else to cover Natsuki and Rei's positions of handing out flyers outside.

Meanwhile, Natsuki seats Rei to a chair with a vanity mirror behind the chair. "Now, Rei-chan. Do you want to be super cute? Or super pretty? You're already plenty cute though... but I'll leave the choice to you!"

And she gets out 5 more makeup wands. ]

[flowerclips]

[ natsuki successfully drags rei along and honestly, rei doesn't quite understand what's going on but she'll go along with it. there's not much that she can do anyway. she's tiny. it's not like she can really stand her ground or anything so she's now seated on a chair. ]

Oh, um, thank you...

[ she's a little flustered when natsuki says that she's already plenty cute but she's also a little... nervous? t-chan is locked outside and he yelled to be let in. she's also still a little shy around new people, even with a coworker, and this is all kind of overwhelming... ]

Ummm, I don't know. Whatever you think is better?

[ natsuki is the expert here. ]

[overstrain]

[ "Oh, I know! I'll leave it to be a surprise!"

That doesn't answer Rei, but she seems pretty stoked about this, so she gets to work. It doesn't take long if Rei doesn't move like a good girl. Her eyelashes stand out, lips with a pink tint, Rei's hair now looks like this, some blush on her cheeks, complete with a kitty ear headband. She'll also try her best to make that uniform fit Rei by using safety pins.

It's not a total transformation, but she'll spin Rei's chair for her to look at the mirror.

"How is it, Rei-chan?" ]

[flowerclips]

[ she sits as still as she can while natsuki does her thing, trying not to squirm even when she starts to put something on her lips or cheeks. she stays quiet and does whatever she's asked. in the end, when she's turned towards the mirror, rei is absolutely shocked. ]

Wow... I look completely different!

[ asides from the fact that she's a kid, she really does look different. is that really her? wow, makeup is amazing... ]

Natsuki-chan, you're amazing!

[overstrain]

[ "Aw, thanks, Rei-chan! I'm glad I did great! You look super duper cute now, so let's go show Nowell-kun. He'll probably pass out from shock. Hehehe..."

Natsuki leads Rei out of the employee room. Thanks to the safety pins, Rei can finally walk without being in danger of tripping over her own uniform.

Terry is coming back after taking some orders and Natsuki nudges Rei towards him. Show him your charm, Rei!! ]

[flowerclips]

[ she doesn't really understand what natsuki means but she's rushed out of the employee room so hmm, okay, time to find terry. he must be worried when she was whisked away like that so once she spots him in the cafe and nudged towards him, she'll start to run up to him. she'll stand right beside him and look straight up at him. ]

T-chan! I'm all done now! Sorry to keep you waiting...

1/2

[overstrain]

Natsuki didn't do anything weird... did... she...

[ Terry wasn't looking down at first, but he does now and... ]

[overstrain]

[ HOLY SHIT

MY LITTLE SISTER FIGURE CAN'T BE THIS CUTE?! Rei is absolutely adorable with the makeup and the little accessories. Terry feels like his heart is going to explode and he covers his face with both hands. He wants to jump to the tallest building in Hirajiro and scream that Rei is the cutest girl in the whole world that fucking loops for some reason, but whatever!! That's not the point! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

All that is translated into Terry giving Rei a simple headpat with a wide smile. ]

You're really cute, Rei! She did some good work on you. How do you like it?

[flowerclips]

Ehehe, thanks, T-chan.

[ the simple headpat, smile, and compliment are enough for rei. she smiles brightly back at him. ]

I like it! I didn't know makeup can make you look so pretty!

[overstrain]

I'm sure Natsuki can give you tips if you asked her after work...

[ He's not sure if Kido actually knows anything about makeup because that's just the sort of vibe she tends to give off... but he figures that isn't fair to Kido anyway. ]

I wish I could help out, but I don't know much about makeup either.

[ He only watched transformation videos when he was bored, and he could believe it's magic, honestly... ]

[flowerclips]

I'll ask her after work then.

[ she looks forward to it! though she probably won't be very good at it at all and who knows if she'll even start using it after that. makeup is... a lot of effort and expensive and she can use that time to eat and that money to buy food :9 ]

Oh, I'll thank her by showing her the bird that I've learned!

[ lmfao here it comes ]

[overstrain]

The bird...? What do you mean by that?

[ What does Rei even mean by that?? Terry looks somewhat concerned. ]

[flowerclips]

This!

[ and then she just... flips off terry lmfao in the cafe with all the customers staring. nice. ]

[overstrain]

[ Terry stares at little Rei for about ten seconds in total silence with a blank expression until he falls back onto the floor, passing out. ]

[flowerclips]

T-chan?!

[ oh no, what happened?! she'll immediately run on over and grab onto his arm, shaking him. is this because he didn't drink blood in a while? oh no, maybe she should run to the hospital right now and get him a new packet right away! ]

What's wrong, T-chan?!

[overstrain]

[ Thankfully, Terry only blacked out for two minutes, because he becomes conscious again, opening his eyes and putting a hand to his own forehead. ]

Ugh... what happened? I feel like my mind just censored something brutal to save my mind...

[flowerclips]

[ she lets out a big sigh of relief when he wakes up. she'll try to help him sit up, though it's harder when she's smaller like this. ]

I don't know. You just suddenly passed out.

[ she's really worried :( she'll lean in close so she can whisper. ]

Is it because you didn't drink any blood recently?