the art of the dress

[ginger_firebird]

Of the many stores that cater to the crafting minded, Mantis visited the fabric stores more and more. Winter was almost there and he needed better clothing to keep off the chill and welcome the scant bit of warmth he and his pets would need. There wouldn’t be much to get, only a bit of wool for the little ones. It’s always been his own proportions that have been difficult to manage.

With a few rolls of fabric loaded already in the shopping cart, he leaves Yaga and Francour in the kid seat while he stared hard at his own reflection in a mirror. He’s always been a bit tall, a bit too thin, but he thought at least this could be a point in his unusual life where he’d gain a pound or two. He turned one way, then the other, always checking his figure. At least clothing didn’t require him to be painfully aware of his face.

That said, the measuring tape in his hands made several rounds at different points on his body. It snuck around his chest, his hips, traced along the length of his arms and legs. He sighed loudly and rolled up the measuring tape around his hand before handing it over to Francour for safe keeping. His little espurr took the tape measure reverently and squeaked when Yaga moved closer to lick his head. The catwing pinned the pokemon down more and groomed him with a great deal of care.

“Is it me?” Francour trilled loudly and was allowed up by Yaga. “I thought I was cooking more than I was before.”

Yaga licked his jaws and meowed. “I know I kept feeding Ben. You both got a chance to meet him. You know he can’t cook.”

Mantis walked over to the cart and pulled out a slip of paper from a pants pocket. Yaga rubbed his head against Mantis’s arm while Francour was more content to hold on to the sleeve of his shirt.

“I gained a little bit, but it still needs a lot of work. How am I supposed to safely gain weight if nothing sticks?”

Comments

[death_calling]

Ah, not just the attention of Mantis is gathered, but his two companions as well. She'll hopefully not disappoint with whatever information is provided, however his words do get a small nod of her head. "Both. In order to understand life, we must comprehend death and vice versa."

She simply continues on, rather stoically and with an emphasis on accurate details. "Assuming you've ruled out any serious illnesses, your first start should be to figure out how many calories you're burning per day. From there, you can establish how many extra calories need to be incorporated into your diet, typically between 300 and 1,000 calories to compensate for the burn amount, but you can also double your calorie intake equal to your burn count."

Taking a moment to pause, she carries on seamlessly. "Next, look at the kind of foods you eat on a daily basis. While sugar and soda can quickly build weight, it's unhealthy and inconsistent. Finding a good protein is most important, then you can also add carbohydrates and higher-fat content foods to help with the gain."

Hopefully, she hasn't bored this young man with her tangent, but there's an obvious sense of pride in Olivia's work when dealing with science and anatomy.

[ginger_firebird]

His animal companions are just as nosy as he is, but in their own kind of way. There's a strong taking of cues from the smallest up to the largest. Manits finds himself smiling just a little at her initial response. Definitely someone with a very medically inclined job or a very mad scientist. It's enough to tempt him into prying.

"Calorie rich foods will have to be my best bet. I know how to make them, but then that also brings into question getting used to eating that much to make all that food worth the effort. Not being used to eating a lot is probably part of why I weighed so little in the first place."

He looks back at Francour and Yaga. "You two aren't going to be eating like that. This is strictly for my diet."

[death_calling]

Having the extra audience is nice, cute creatures always being welcome over the company of people, in her opinion. Later, perhaps, she'll get to ask Mantis about his friends.

As for her mind, if Mantis decides to take a peek, it's certainly an interesting one for an average human. Almost like watching an old 1950's episode of The Twilight Zone, steeped shades of black, white, and gray, her mind is controlled yet chaotic. There's a reoccurring feeling of death at every turn, no murderous intent present, but she's someone who respects the process dearly. A mortician has to do that, balancing life and death in both hands, living by the long repeated phrase: Memento Mori.

She wouldn't even have a clue that this man in front of her possesses psychic powers."Well, getting your body used to portion sizes will take a bit of effort. The first thing to change would be not drinking any sort of liquids prior to eating, as it fills the stomach faster. You should still eat until full, but try to incorporate smaller meals an hour or two afterward." She slips a hand under her chin thoughtfully. "It would be best to establish a set time per day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The partial meals in between those can consist of smaller foods, like nuts, grains, or lean meats. I'm a fan of a midday peanut butter protein shake when needing energy."

She can't help but laugh at the two cute creatures. "Alas, my knowledge is limited to humans. Your two companions are certainly adorable though." It would be rude to randomly touch one, but she'll try to extend a gentle hand to the Espurr. "This one is a psychic Pokemon correct? Espurr, as I recall..."

[ginger_firebird]

Between a pokemon and a catwing, Mantis is collecting a small gathering of animals who all have something very unique about them. Francour is hugging his arm at this point, and he lifts his arm, pokemon and all.

The glance he takes into her mind doesn't tell him too much, but it's been a while since he's met someone who is in the business of death that wasn't a warlord. She had possibly one of the most respectable professions involving humans, at least in his mind. Anyone can make a body, but only specific kinds of people can carefully prepare the dead for a proper burial.

"Limit fluids to things like keeping the mouth from drying out... I suspected it would take planning out meals. I do that already for those two, so it can be an act of solidarity." He does sigh at the thought, though. "The grey one is an espurr, yes. I'm still learning about pokemon as a type of animal, but he's easy to care for as a specific kind."

[death_calling]

"I wouldn't cut out water completely, just don't drink a lot of it before eating a meal. The average person needs around 3 liters per day, so if you can spread out liquid consumption equally, dehydration can be prevented." She nods her head, shifting attention between Mantis and his companions, trying to ignore the fact that her information sounded misleading.

"Pokemon...They're just fantasy creatures in my world, but here they really exist?" She knows they come from video games and cards alike, but to actually see one is amazing. Her serious demeanor starts to melt away, uncertain on how to approach these creatures without appearing scary. "I shouldn't want to see more of them, but now I do."

All this time she's been rambling, without ever giving her name. "I'm sorry if I talked your ear off. Olivia Moore." She extends her hand to him. "Good to meet you, sir."

[ginger_firebird]

"I was thinking just during meals. No one's going to stop me from having healthy kidneys." He does appreciate her willingness to clarrify what she said. It shows a reasonable level of concern over her fellow humans. At least, he assumed she was human. It's hard to tell in the Nexus sometimes.

"They might be fictional where I come from too. I feel like I've heard of them before." Francour clings to his shirt as he pulls the pokemon closer. "He's clingy and skittish. Research has suggested it's just how his kind live their lives."

He takes her hand and shakes it. "Psycho Mantis. Most just call me Mantis."

[death_calling]

She's very much a normal human, no powers or special abilities oozing from this average 35-year-old woman. But she's glad that the advice helps, having not much else to add to the health suggestions. "I'm sure you'll be able to find what works best for you."

There's a bit of sadness at realizing how skittish the Espurr is and Olivia immediately retracts her hand, making sure to give the Pokemon whatever space it needs. Though, in the back of her mind, she has to tell herself that the creature is not upset at her, simply hesitant. "I can only guess why...Where I'm from, different cards have been printed with Pokemon on them, so that's why I could tell which one is which."

The handshake is friendly enough and she seems unfazed by the 'Psycho' part of his name. "Mantis is it then. Have you been coming here long?"

[ginger_firebird]

"Eventually. I'm under no illusion that this is going to be a quick fix for me. Literal years of horrible habits are at work."

He's suprised meeting someone so normal in Nexus. With no shortage of angels and aliens, a proper and plain human is a bit of a novelty. Francour trills and looks confused at her pulling her hand away. He reaches out with one paw to her retreating hand. "He's not that shy. As long as he sees your hand coming, he likes it."

"I haven't been able to find my way back home since I got here, and not for any lack of triying. This place is...interesting. Exploring it has led me to meeting interesting people."