Dating Mia -- Meeting her at "Lionheart Images".

(Learn more about Alex "The Lionheart" Leon by reading Thread 185641)

It may not look like much when you realize where it's at in the heart of an industrial park in a L.A. suburb, but "Lionheart Images" has become a major contributor to helping cosplayers in the region rise in stardom, especially the woman you're dating on Valentine's Day, Mia Rocha. Driving your truck into the small lot of the set of small industrial suites, you take an empty, non-reserved parking spot that is closest to the photography studio. Stepping out, you fix the collar on your button-up shirt, then walk into the building.

"Hello, sir, welcome to 'Lionheart Images'." The receptionist, Shannon, greets you at the front desk. "How can I help you today?"

"Yeah," you tell Shannon, "I'm here at the request of one of your clients, Mia Rocha, who asked me to meet her here."

"Mia Rocha, hmmm?" Shannon asks you. "You must be Mr. Eric Antonelle, then?"

"Yes," you tell her, "that's me."

"Mia is in the middle of a photo session with Mr. Leon at this time," Shannon tells you, "but both she & Mr. Leon did say that can come and watch."

"Whatever they wish is fine with me, ma'am." You tell her. "Thank you."

Shannon rises from the front desk, her cleavage revealed by the open buttons of her blouse. Otherwise, she is wearing a pair of dress pants that goes down to her ankles, and she is wearing a pair of ankle boots. With her guidance, she leads you down a hall, towards the studio area. It is reasonably low-lighted, if not dark. Only a set of bright spotlights and lamps lit in front of umbrella-like screens can be seen, all providing sufficient lighting for the photographer, Alex, to do his thing with Mia.

Mia herself is in cosplay, as video game character "Bayonetta", the version from the first game. She is in a black leather bodysuit with white silk or velvet underlining--although it's hard to tell from where you're at, laid out to match it as close to the depiction of the game character as she could manage. You find that she's managed to work a set of brass necklace-like chains into the suit, further matching it with the character in question. Her hair has been tied partially into a loose bun, with a set of long ribbons wrapped and tied around. A pair of glasses--fashioned to match the character's glasses--frame her eyes, while an old watch, apparently, dangles over the frontal cut at her chest, above her cleavage. Perhaps the most striking feature of her costume, are how she's manged to attach a pair of the in-game pistol gun props to her ankle boots with high, broad heels. She's wielding a couple more of the said gun props in her hands, as well, doing action poses and other poses just like the game character.

As you take a seat a good distance away, with Shannon's guidance, you watch as Mia & Alex agree on a set of poses and positions, and the camera angle that Alex wants to do. After that, you watch as Alex gets the right combination of camera position, angle, and lighting to make her cosplay pop out. With the plain green background, you can pretty much guess that Alex will be working extensively on image enhancements, with the likelihood of adding additional images to put her cosplay in line with the spirit of the game in question. After awhile, Mia notices you, and she smiles, waving to you. Then she whispers something to Alex, before she does one final pose for the session. She gives a side pose, showing a good mix of her bosom, with her butt and shapely legs. She positions her feet so that she puts her gun props in full display. After the last photo is taken, she reviews all the photos done with Alex, smiling, and giving him a hug. Soon afterwards, she runs over to you, and gives you a big hug.

"Eric, you made it!" Mia tells you with a smile on her face. "I was wondering when you would show up."

"I was getting some final tasks for the day done at my dayjob." You tell her. "Speaking of which, your brother's custom ride should be ready by the end of the day. My co-workers are doing final inspections on the paint job, as well as the souped-up engine and suspension."

"Wonderful." Mia responds with a smile. "I have a particular...dress...to wear tonight, but I didn't bring it with me, since it's still early in the day. Feel free to talk with Alex, while I change into my street clothes, OK?"