<br/><div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/RoDooxQ.jpg)</div><br/>Pipa made a mental note to visit the tailor that afternoon, and if her training date with Vania left her enough time, the library that evening. Feeling confident at least that she was getting a solid start on her valuable time at the temple, Pipa shook hands with the headmistress, her slender fingers completely covered for a moment by both of Pipa's strong hands.<br/><br/><em>Then as Pipa moved to leave she stopped the orc, "Oh, I will ask you one thing though, your panties are soaked through.  You should simply leave them here with me." </em><br/><br/>Pipa blinked back a touch of surprise. She had intended to shed the damp panties at her earliest convenience. She had to shrug; this  would be convenient. The slight grin the headmistress gave her as she nodded confirmed she'd made the right choice. She turned to the side and shimmied as she tugged off the bit of blue and green trimmed fabric, giving Ravensoul an inadvertently nice view of her pale green rump as she did so.<br/><br/>She folded the little garment once, and placed it neatly over the arm of the nearest chair as she turned toward the door, leaving the headmistress to her own business.<br/><br/>Tharja was smirking when Pipa entered the front office, this time Pipa gave her a cool smile. As she walked toward the main doors, she flipped up the tail of her tunic and purposefully flashed her ass at the assistant. Once in the corridor, flanked by her attending acolytes, she chuckled as she thought about telling Vania about that, and asked that they direct her to the tailor if they were available. One of the acolytes nodded and motioned her down a side hall.<br/><br/>They were approaching a wooden door, whose panels featured a prominent brass inlay in the shape of a long, elegant pair of scissors, when the door opened and out hurried a flustered looking acolyte making notes on a scrap of parchment.  A high pitched voice pursued them, “... and I will need at least double the yardage in the ivory silk. Suffering spindles! We were short last year, too!”<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/IlhgOFG.jpg)</div>The acolyte looked up and noticed Pipa's party approaching, she scrambled to pull the door open for them, revealing the room beyond. Every wall held floor to ceiling shelves that appeared to contain every imaginable material, trim, notion and finding you would need to make almost any costume. Scattered about the room, interspersing dress forms, tables, and half a dozen machines, sergers, presses, and pieces of sewing equipment, were stools, steps, and step ladders of various height. Amid all of the controlled chaos, there sat a gnomish woman, clearly the directing force of this operation.<br/><br/>It was impossible to tell the age of the seamstress.  She could have been 27 or 72, Pipa couldn't have said. Her copper hair and smooth, clay hued skin didn't give any clue. Whatever her age she was the source of the slightly squeaky reminder to “bring the marine tulle and 3 ply gold floss, or I'll sew spikes into your small clothes!” that followed after the scribbling acolyte.<br/><br/>Pipa entered and the heavy door closed behind her. Her attending temple staff waited, vigilant, on the other side, confirming that the craftsgnome was highly trusted, without doubt.<br/><br/>“If I'm interrupting I can return later-” Pipa began.<br/><br/>“Pish Posh, may as well get started,” the gnome interrupted as she stood and reached out a diminutive hand, “Ceylona Minbi.”<br/><br/>Pipa approached, leaning forward to introduce herself and shake hands, feeling a little awkward when she stood straight and realized Ceylona was only as tall as the hem of her tunic. The seamstress caught her fiddling with the hem and gave a tittering laugh.<br/><br/>“Don't stretch your stitches, dear. There isn't a size, shape, or shade I haven't seen. ‘Sides, you've got to get out of all that, so I can take your measurements.”<br/><br/>She turned on her little bare heel, and pulled a step stool toward Pipa as the quarter orc pulled off her boots. Her tunic and brasserie followed after and she waited, nude, while the gnome climbed the steps, notepad and measuring tape in hand.<br/><br/>She took measurements around every curve and up and down every<br/>I length in a surprising short time. After writing a flurry of notes, she gave Pipa a long, hard look.<br/><br/>“Anything you had in mind?” she asked, visibly showing she hoped that wasn't the case.<br/><br/>“Not so much,” Pipa admitted with a shrug that caused her breasts to jiggle slightly.<br/><br/>Ceylona squinted and grinned. “Exotic, dark haired, muscular... I’ll fix you up right. Not to worry,” she turned and rummaged through a bin before pulling out a woven, red wrap dress. “I keep some things around ready made. You can leave your old garments with me and cover your jiggling with this.” She tossed Pipa the dress.<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://imgur.com/iLZ68gQ.jpg)</div><br/>Pipa opened her mouth to tell her that wasn't necessary,  but the moment the soft cloth hit her fingers, she reconsidered.  The ingenious little dress flowed over her like water, stopping just past the top of her muscled thighs.<br/><br/>“Thank you,” she said as she ran her palms over the skirt.<br/><br/>“My work's the best,” the talented tailor replied, full of pride. “You’re so tall, the fit is a little short. Not that you girls usually mind. I'll have the rest brought to you soon enough.” With that she waved her hand dismissively, indicating as she turned toward the wall of shelves that she was finished with Pipa.<br/><br/>As Pipa left her to her work, she had the distinct impression that she was just another one in a long line of contestants Madam Minbi had serviced. Perhaps she had even clothed her human mother once.<br/><br/>She had time before she intended to meet up with Vania, so Pipa asked one of her attending temple members to direct her to the library.<br/>The library’s main hall was a high dome built of marble, the floors were entirely warm sandstone with no carpet or other decorations. As soon as the soles of her feet touched it, she sensed a resonant magical energy that radiated warmth, transmitted through the stone from some distant desert sun. She knelt and placed her palms against the rough rock, as well. The geomancer so absorbed and curious that she forgot her original purpose and spent several minutes merely admiring the powerful magic.<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://imgur.com/nLBsA9q.jpg)</div><br/>Her attendants waited patiently by the entrance. The library was eerily quiet until the sound of a woman clearing her throat nearly caused Pipa to leap out of her new dress. She stood and spun around, locking eyes with a Naga holding a thick, worn book.<br/><br/>“Contessssstant, can I assisssst you?” she asked, staring intently back into Pipa's eyes.<br/><br/>“Your floor...” she stammered, feeling like a fool, and more than a little leery of the... librarian? She must be. Her protectors by the door showed no hint of alarm.<br/><br/>“Yesss, it was marble once, before my time. Too cold. Thisss iss much more comfortable.” The librarian broke their stare and slithered with smooth grace to the large desk that dominated the center of the room. Pipa followed.<br/><br/>“I’m Ssssenna, you've come to review the classss offerings, yesss?” She indicated a thin, open, leather bound journal in the middle of the desk. “It'sss all there.”<br/><br/>Pipa, who had never seen a Naga in person, mumbled her thanks and tried not to stare, directing her attention instead to the list of available classes and times. She found several offerings that appealed, and found herself absorbed by the variety of training available.<br/><br/>She only snapped out of her concentration when she felt a warm, scaled tail wrap around one of her wrists. “Excussse me, but you remind me of ssssomeone.”<br/><br/>Senna squeezed her wrist and leaned toward her. She opened her mouth a small gap, and leaned in to only inches away from Pipa's face.  “Yesss, familiar.”<br/><br/>Then with surprising speed, she released Pipa and moved to the other side of the desk. “I'll have to consssult with the headmisstressss,” she said making a note.<br/><br/>Pipa nodded, “It's possible my mother-”<br/><br/>“Competed in the dungeon sssome yearss ago. I will have to crossss reference the recordsss, but I think I remember her ssscent.”<br/><br/>“But how?” Pipa wondered. “You don't look old enough,” she blurted out.<br/><br/>Senna gave her a look like she must be a little thick. “Sssshedding oness ssskin, reducess quite a few wrinklesss.”<br/><br/>Pipa felt like a tool. At that moment Vania wandered into the library, a wide smile hit her face when she spotted her new friend.<br/><br/>“Pipa!” she called. “Are you ready to go spar before dinner? Nice dress! I need to see that tailor!” She walked up and pointed out a class listing, “Did you see there’s midafternoon unit in staff and bludgeon combat? You should take it with me. I’ll go in for the unarmed combat class with you!”<br/><br/>Pipa smiled back at the enthusiastic elf. When she turned back to the librarian, she was surprised to find she had made a stealthy exit.<br/><br/>“Oh, she does that,” Vania explained when she saw the surprise on Pipa's face. “Come on, let's hit the gym!”