A new wardrobe.

Mages, apprentices and servants were running through the streets of Dalaran like busy ants. Christelle slumped among them, with a frown in thought. Her arrival at the Dalaran Jewel had left her offended. That bartender would pay. She stopped before an open door and looked at the tailoring sign above it. This was the place she looked for and she walked in.

She found herself in a small room, laden with closets on the right and odd mechanical models on the left. A green clothed Gnome worked the closets, not heeding the new guest. At the back of the room, there was a closed door and a desk beside it, the head of a Gnome peeping above it.
- "Arr' you ze delivery girrl?" he asked.
Christelle threw him a poisonous look. "I've been sent by Lady Valerias to be fitted for her work."

The Gnome gasped loudly and his eyes widened. He jumped from his chair onto his desk and shouted:
- "By-all zat is threaded and beautifuwl! Bazoo! One from Valerias!"
- "But Valerias has perfect curves, Kazka. All our dresses would be complimented by her." the green Gnome replied. But then he turned and gasped.
- "By-all zat is beautifuwl and sewn! We're dead!"
Bazoo slammed his right fist in his left hand.
- "Ve'll use ... the specials."
Both nodded in agreement and Kazka jumped down the desk, grabbed a chair and placed it next to Christelle.

Bazoo worked the closets and returned with a long dress, held high above his head to avoid he'd trip over it.
Kazka jumped on the chair and eagerly accepted the dress, holding it before a surprised Christelle. The dress was more beautiful than anything she had ever seen. The soft golden cloth shined marvelously.
- "Iet is ruinned!" Kazka shouted.
- "I'll get the other one!" Bazoo replied and he quickly returned to Kazka with another dress, looking even more exquisite. The former dress he carefully laid on the desk in the back.
- "Noe!" Shouted Kazka, "Noe noe noe!"
Christelle stared in amazement. These dresses were beautiful beyond her dreams. Bazoo quickened his pace and Christelle stood there, struck silent, as one gown after the other, one more exquisite than the other, passed before her eyes and was cursed at by Kazka's scrutinizing look.

With the last dress stapled on the desk, the Gnomes called out loud.
- "Nooze! Emerrgencie!"
A white haired Gnome, seated sideways for them, pushed open the door in the back. He was leaning back, balancing his chair on the rear two legs. He gasped and slammed his right hand on his brow, tumbling back as the chair crashed down. He rolled aptly back on his feet and hurried in the room.
- "Quick! Ze machine! Bazoo... Ze curten." he ordered.
Bazoo pulled a curtain before the doorway, closing the shop from all eyes. "Undress, my laedy!" he shouted. Christelle looked startled. Even for a man that was more direct than she was used to.
- "'ow else can ve check ze dress?" Kazka continued.
Glancing at the curtain that was offered, Christelle loosened her robe and let it slide down, clearing her throat a little in discomfort at the situation.

Nooze ran to one of the mechanical constructions which he rolled before the desk. Carefully avoiding the dresses, he jumped on the desk and started turning some wheels and handles on it. Pins, pointers and magnifying glassed portruded from iron arms from the machine. Nooze looked through each of the glassed and adjusted the machine.
- "13 over 7" he said.
The Gnomes exhaled loudly in a sigh of relief.
- "It's not a total loss!" exclaimed Kazka.
- "This could be our greatest work!" added Bazoo.
- "Kazka.. The pose." ordered Nooze.
- "Please madame. Stand like this." Kazka lifted his right arm, curling his hand outwards and stretching his fingers elegantly. His left hand rested on his hip.
Christelle followed. Kazka produced a ruler from behind him and started correcting her pose, pointing at the finest details with his ruler. Nooze added directions, speaking in incomprihensible angles and terms. Kazka obediently translated it to her.

Bazoo handed Nooze dress after dress from the staple on the desk.
- "Yes!" they exclaimed each time.
Christelle widened her eyes in surprise. She didn't see a difference.
- "Yes! Yes yes yes!" they shouted.
Christelle protested. "But what changed?"
- "We solved the problem" Kazka answered.
"About the dres-?"
- "You" he interrupted.
Christelle turned and glared at Kazka. "He'll pay for that", she thought.
- "Noe! You'rr ruining it!"
"After this", she added and continued her pose.

The Gnomes settled for a blue and white dress. It fitted her perfectly. Christelle glanced down and looked at it. It was beautiful. She had never owned anything like it. Kazka guided her through a few more poses, even a few walks, each hailed with applause and cheers of the Gnomes. Slowly she was forgetting the insult. More importantly, she followed their directions meticulously, imprinting every pose and move in her mind.

She kept the dress and asked for her old one to be packed instead. Bazoo removed the curtain and the Gnomes wished her a fair day. Outside it was still morning, to Christelle's surprise. Apparently the curtain held more things back than just curious eyes.

A young girl almost bumped into her, as she looked up from a book she was reading. Her eyes widened.
- "Pardon my, my lady. I... I need to be here."
"Lady? It seems this dress is revealing its wonder quickly."
The girl was wearing a plain robe with a mark on her chest. Christelle didn't understand much of the mages but she could guess it would indicate her apprenticeship to an important tutor if he would have his own mark.
Christelle smiled as a thought crossed her mind.
"Ohh, that is quite alright, my child. Please do go in... But allow me to give you a few suggestions."
The girl looked confused but nodded. Christelle smiled warmly and let a finger stroke over the girl's bound hair, loosening a strand that fell before her right eye. The she closed the book and pressed it against the girl's chest, conveniently hiding the mark of her master.
"Don't be afraid, my child. These are just the simple and beautiful pleasures of life." and with a warm smile she carefully checked the girl's blouse, loosening it a bit at her collar.
"Just tell them you have been sent by your master and that they should be expecting you. They'll work wonders for you."
The girl blushed and walked in. Christelle looked around at the street, unashamed and folded her hand to inspect her nails. The girl now looked like she had been toiling with a heavy load.
"Three.. Two... One.."
A loud slam could be heard from a book hitting a desk and the girl's voice boomed out of the shop.
- "I AM NOT A DELIVERY GIRL! When my master will hear of this insult, you'll wish you were never born!"
Christelle laughed softly and walked on. The next on her list was that oaf of a bartender. Oh yes.. He would pay.

Oh dear. I laughed so many times reading this. Really really delightful - and it certainly reveals more of Christelle's personality and the workings of her mind. Vale might've underestimated her

The tailoring gnomes were one of the funniest things I've read in a long time >> Loving it, and looking forward to more RP with the character!

Hahahahahaha JP you are a genius!!!!! That was the funniest thing I have ever read ever and it reminded me of Terry Prachett for some reason. I love you so much and I am so looking forward to reading more about this Christelle!! !!!!

It was a bit awkward to keep the characters apart. At first I thought Nooze was a "Nooo!" with dialect. It broke the flow of the test.

I love your style. Your pacing is perfect, the characters vivid and the light nature of it makes it a delight to consume. I expect to see more of you in the future.

Aww, thank you all very much
I'm sure more will follow sometime. Hm.

Pierre stopped in his tracks and stared at the magnificently dressed noble woman that walked out of shop before him. Startled that he almost bumped into her, he resolved to an appologetic bow. The woman raised an eyebrow and then quickly raised her chin, judging him unworthy of another look.
Pierre bit his lip and checked the note in his hand, muttering:
"Well this.. seems to be the right place. Odd. I had never noticed this shop in Stormwind before."

After another look around the road, he walked in the tailoring shop. After adjusting to the dark, his eyes stared back into the wide open eyes of a green dressed Gnome with equal surprise.
- "You dun't look liek e delivarie boi!" Bazoo said.
"I.. eh.. ehm... I was direct to this shop." Pierre appologized and raised his eyebrows in confusion, not really knowing what he was appologising for.
- "Fur a delivarie?"
"Ehm.. No... I came to.. buy, I think."
- "We certanly 'av bettar dresses." The Gnome nodded at Pierre's robes.
"Oh dear.. no.. I.. I require different clothes for... training."
The green dressed Gnome gasped and ran off to a closet, checking its drawers in panic and shouted,
- "Kazka... Get Nooze!"
A blue dressed Gnome jumped up from behind a desk in the back of the room. Pierre stared at him, not having noticed him before. The Gnome opened a backdoor, revealing a Gnome standing amidst a stream of metal sparks and smoke. The Gnome looked up and turned off the odd device he was holding against a metal plate.
- "The Arathorian dress can wait, Nooze, we 'ave a special case 'ere."
Removing his protective goggles, Nooze blinked at Pierre.
- "Man dress?"
- "Training."
- "We're dead!"
Pierre overheard their conversation and raised his hands in appology.
"Oh dear.. I.. I'm sure there.. ehm.. is no need to harm anyone over such a simple request. Ehm. For any reason whatsoever."
The Gnomes froze on te spot. The words took a few moments to sink in, and then their mood changed. They exchanged some looks and mischievous smiles. In silence they nodded and winked at eachother. Kazka ran to the door and pulled a blue curtain before the entrance, hiding them from any portruding eyes.

---

Aided by a firm pull, the laces bound the blue, leather soiled boots tight. Pierre tied a knot in the laces and stood up, hailed by excited applause.
- "Marvelus, Sir, marvelus" cried out the green dressed Gnome.
- "It iz a vork of gienius!" cried out the blue dressed Gnome.
Jeanpierre stood up and checked his atire.
"How.. is this.. ehm.. fit for training? Are you sure?"
- "Ohh, yes Sir! Gienius work!" Kazka repeated.
"And this pink feathered hat.. I.. I have never seen.. ehm.. anything like it."
- "You vill 'av results unlike you 'av ever seen Sir!"
"I'm not sure.. ehm.. these yellow trousers.."
- "Vill make sure you ar' seen in taem, Sir." Kazka finished.
"Right. Very well. I'll take it."

After arranging an unsettling price, Kazka opened the blue curtain in the other direction as he closed it. Pierre walked out and blinked.
"But this is isn't Stormwind.. This is.. eh.. Dalaran?"
The Gnomes bursted out in laughter. Kazka, grabbed a red curtain and quickly ran accross the door to close it. In a panic reaction, Pierre dashed after Kazka, but he was too late. Pulling aside the curtain, he found himself in an old, dusty room. It was void, except for the echo of laughter from three Gnomes.