Meanwhile

"I have to get naked?!"

Melfina chuckled nervously as Hilda sighed. Dorothy tilted her head regarding Daphne. "That is how the holographic display for the trying on of clothes works best. The less things it has to impede it the better it works. Is there a problem with that?"

Daphne Greengrass frowned. "Well... it's rather strange. This isn't some kind of trick of David's to see me naked?"

Hilda shook her head. "He isn't even here. He's at work. And he had plenty of opportunity to record when we did it previously without him and he didn't."

Dorothy nodded. "I checked. Apparently even the louse knows better."

Melfina frowned. "Dorothy... you're going to give Daphne a bad opinion and Daphne... didn't you come back from the hot tub last night without your top?"

Daphne turned an alarming shade of red as the three... no, four because she saw one of Lady Fingers boxs open as if she was interested as well, four seemed to regard her intently. "Very well," she said intentionally avoiding the question as she stripped down.

"Hold on Daphne," Dorothy said as she got to her underwear. She joined her and quickly scanned the tags. "Pepper can use these to help narrow down finding you appropriate sizes."

(("I certainly can! Thank you, Dorothy. Are you ready to begin Daphne?"))

Daphne finished stripping down. "I suppose so."

(("Excellent! We'll start with underwear and swimsuits and other skin-tight or under things so you can put your underwear back on before shopping for other options!"))

"What the-?" Daphne blinked as she was no longer naked... but somehow the underwear she was now wearing made her feel even more exposed. "This is just string! What's the meaning of this?"

"Oh my!" Melfina said looking at the silken string thong and open cup bra that hid nothing. "How daring!"

"Nice color green though," Hilda said. "It perfectly matches your eyes, Daphne!"

Lady fingers gave a thumbs-up.

"W-What? Why-" Daphne started sputtering.

"Pepper has almost no data on your preferences," Dorothy said. "She likely chose what she did to start with at random."

(("Indeed, it is as Dorothy has said. I know Daphne's favorite color is green. Her general sizes. And the fact that as skimpy as the bathingsuit was that was lent to her yesterday she decided to expose even more. Therefore I went with the most exposure one could have and still be "wearing something" in a color she'd find favorable to start. It was only logical. I take it is not to your liking?"))

"It certainly isn't!" Daphne said. "Wearing this is more embaressing than wearing nothing! Change it to something that covers a little more... now, please!"

(("Very well. How about this?"))

Daphne blinked. "Why are you doing this to me?!" she asked standing in a fishnet bodysuit the same color.

(("You asked for "something that covers a little more", Daphne. This covers a little more."))

"Yes," Dorothy agreed. "This has almost double the coverage of the last one."

"Double nothing is still nothing!" Daphne stated.

"I wonder if David would like something like this?" Hilda wondered aloud. "It is very... sexy and daring! Does it come in purple do you think?"

Lady Fingers snapped said fingers and pointed getting Melfina's attention and she nodded. "Of course! You're right Lady Fingers." She picked up a picture of Tink and Harley. "Daphne. I think Pepper is showing you things that meet your few "mistaken" preferences and narrowing it to what Tink or Harley would buy meeting those criteria. She simply needs more information on your preferences and will start picking that up as you make selections. Pepper. Could you please show us the exact same underwear Daphne was wearing previously in the holo?"

(("Of course, Melfina!"))

Daphne sighed. She knew beneath the holoprojection she was actually wearing nothing but now she was covered by exactly the same color, style and cut of underwear as she had on before stripping down. "Better. Thank you. Let's start from here please." No sooner had she said it a plethora of color options for the exact same underwear became available for her perusal as well as hundreds upon thousands of similar but different options, materials, cuts, styles and brands. "Wow... even magic doesn't have anything like this! How wonderful! Thank you, ladies!"

(("You're very welcome, Daphne! Don't forget to thank David later as well!"))

Daphne blushed but as she tried on a magnificent emerald satin piece she nodded and swallowed. "I... may have too..." she shook her head. "I should only get a few simple pieces... since I might not be staying."

The others frowned and shook their heads. "That may be true," Melfina said. "But..."

Hilda nodded. "You don't know that for a fact. Infact since your situation is a bit tenuous one could make the case you should enjoy what you can now and..."

Dorothy roboticly blinked. "Master David wants you to be comfortable as his "guest" and he stipulated you could buy many things to make that happen. I don't think you should be wasteful and buy too many things but as his guest you certainly shouldn't refuse his generosity. It would make him happy as your host to see you wearing things you like to wear, Daphne."

Daphne smiled and tried on a green and silver silken robe. It's luxurious and filmy material carressed her skin with it's elegantly stitched serpent pattern. "I think you ladies maybe right... thank you all again." She smiled as she then tried a flirty little negligee then at them. "Lady Fingers. You should try on some gloves while we're at it! I suppose there's no harm in trying things on!"

-later-

By the time they'd finished they'd put together a nice little wardrobe for Daphne for the interim. She'd even surprised herself in how adventurous some of the pieces she had picked out herself were. *It is warm out,* she thought justifying her selections being somewhat revealing or a bit lacking in material. *It's best to dress for the weather and season... besides when would I have such an opportunity to wear things like them again! Certainly not back home...* she smiled thinking about some of the adventurous and daring outfits her family would disapprove of. *Not without causing a scandal... how fun! I wonder how David will react to seeing-!* she shook her head to banish the thoughts. *And others were incredibly fine materials... like the others said it would be a shame to not take the opportunity... wouldn't it?*

"Alright," Melfina said excusing herself. "I'm going to make sandwiches you can all help yourselves to when you get hungry then start on dinner."

"I have chores to take care of," Dorothy stated doing the same.

Lady Fingers gave them a "ok" sign before waving. If they needed anything she'd be around to lend a hand.

Daphne looked at Hilda as she finished redressing. "I assume you'll be busy too?"

Hilda sighed instead poking at the computer "display" Pepper had up. "I probably will work in the garden later but I'm still trying to figure out my role. I am going to try to think on it each day until I come up with something."

Daphne blinked and sat near her. "Your "role"?"

Hilda smiled at Daphne. "I'm still trying to figure out how best I can contribute. Right now I'm working on different things and projects but that won't last forever. Getting the garden and plants sorted has been a nice distraction but that too will end eventually. Melfina's got the cook "role". Dorothy is in a head butler/maid position at the moment but she has many skills that translate to being a good fit for many things. Lady Fingers is already an excellent Hand maid. Tink and Harley assist David with their work. I seem to be the only one who's... stuck. I'm a princess but that doesn't necessarily translate into a lot of easily marketable or domestic skills."

Daphne smiled a bit. As strange as things were here people still had ordinary problems and worries. Somehow that was comforting. "What are your skills, Hilda?"

Hilda blinked then smiled. "Daphne are you helping me?"

Daphne crossed her arms. "Don't get the wrong idea. "IF" I end up staying here I will likely have the same problem. Two heads are better than one... and this is a good opportunity to learn." She grabbed a couple pieces of paper and a pen. "We'll treat it like a problem to solve. First we should figure out our exact skills. Then decide what those might be suitable for and search out other possible answers."

Hilda nodded. "That's wise. I appreciate your willingness to help and join me in this exercise."

They went down the list of skills. Reading and writing, arithmetic and most other basic skills they were relatively competent in.

Unfortunately several modern or "muggle" skills they weren't. But they felt certain that with time they'd be able pick some of them up like smartphones and computing... especially with the others help. Infact Pepper as an AI was showing them helpful things all of the time, even now.

The "X factor" seemed to be their magical abilities. Daphne was quite limited in what she could do without her wand but Hilda's abilities impressed her! They seemed to be not only stronger than her own in someways but worked differently.

"Your abilities seem to be more innate and operate a bit differently, Hilda," she said. "You're not really a witch or wizard type. More of a sorceress. You channel power from within you to affect the world, more than from around."

Hilda blinked. "Is that so different? And I take it your abilities work differently?"

Daphne nodded. "Those who have the ability but then have to study and practice how to manipulate and effect the world around them magically are Witches and Wizards according to this classification. There are all kinds of specialists and aptitudes as well, some of which matches quite a bit of what I was taught... and some others do not. Fascinating."

She shook her head seeing Hilda smiling at her. Her studious nature had gotten the hold of her momentarily and cleared her throat. "*Ahem* None of which is relevant right this exact moment! The important thing is to figure out what uses they provide here and now. For instance," she smiled. "You've been using your magic to help out with the gardening recently, yes?"

Hilda blinked and then nodded. "Yes. I usually use my abilities to summon vines to restrain foes but I can also use them to move things and effect other plants. I can also communicate over distances and see what people do as well as teleport and create barriers and other things. Why? Is that relevant somehow?"

Daphne blinked and looked at her incredulously. "Is that relevant? Are you kidding me? Those are extremely high level skills magically speaking! Telepathy as well as clairvoyance and related skills are impressive! Teleportation is a high level spatial magic manipulation! To be able to do it innately is incredible! Creating barriers is apparently something called "****" category which deals with manipulation of purely magical energies and I think is what David used against me the other day. Even your "plant magic" is two different types of magics according to this. It falls into both summoning and then beyond herbology into something called Chloromancy." She shook her head. "It's incredible... you have so much potential! And you posses other non-magical skills as well. You listed swordplay and archery here as well as your princess duties and training. Is that right?"

Hilda nodded but said, "I do know them as was expected of all royal family members but I'm not a master of them like heroes might be and rarely use them in my day to day life. Magic is far more effective anyway and it's important to understand not only the nuances of governance but etiquette, manners and courtesy when dealing with dignitaries and others."

Daphne shook her head. "You're overflowing with incredible talents and abilities. Statecraft, etiquette, combat and protection skills not to mention all your magic. You could be a diplomat, bodygaurd, researcher, magical transportation or communication specialist and on and on. Forget just gardening you could do fantastic things with plant life like this Ivy person Harley mentioned. You could do so many things!" She looked at the information with job listings and types of work. "I think the problem is figuring out how those things translate to all these different things. Like this one at random."

Hilda shook her head. "Deliveries? But I don't know how to drive yet. David said we would start classes once we get settled in but-"

Daphne snorted. "If you can teleport why drive? You could deliver things quickly without the need for long travel times. Or this one!"

Hilda blinked. "Oh... I see. A communications dispatcher that can operate telepathically would be useful I take it?"

Daphne smiled and nodded. "Indubitably. A little outside the box thinking and looking at what these jobs require or are about and then how you'd fit into them is the approach to use. You'd be a much better fit at these things then working at a fast-food place or an assembly line. Even simply waiting tables as a telepathic and clairvoyant waitress would be a better fit. Infact you'd make a fantastic hostess with your skills or even a manager!"

Hilda smiled. "I see! I wonder then... is there something that would suit me best? Or something in particular that would help us here? What would be the best use for all of us?"

Daphne blinked. She hadn't thought about that. About the others. She'd thought about what was best for herself after putting herself in Hilda's shoes... but Hilda was thinking about David and the others. She wanted to not only be doing something but something that was of benefit to those she cared most about. Daphne smiled. She may or may not be "flawed" but she really was a princess and deserved the title. Someone who tried to make their ambitions work best for those around them and considered their needs.

"Yes," Daphne smiled. "That might be best for you. Let us consider that, shall we?"

Hilda smiled and nodded. "Yes and let's consider what might interest you as well, Daphne. Whether you stay or not, though I hope you will."

Daphne shrugged but kept smiling. "Very well, your highness-"

Hilda laid her hand on Daphne's arm and looked into her eyes. "Hilda... please?"

Daphne's nodded her acquiescence. "Alright, Hilda."

Melfina smiled from around the corner just out of sight. She'd come to check on them but had stopped. Now she turned back towards the kitchen. "I think I'll make them some tea and bring it with those sandwiches for them... perhaps Dorothy will join us and if I make the sandwiches fingersized Lady Fingers might enjoy that as well!"

[David Stark Pepper Tinker Bell Harley Quinn Melfina VSD02C Princess Hilda R. Dorothy Wayneright Lady Fingers and Daphne Greengrass

Will Return In

Saki continued

Coming Soon]