Working with Anastasia the following Monday.

Sunday in Hollywood went without any major problems, or moments. You did more in-studio work with members of the Hollywood Cosplay Guild, capping it with a photo of the guild outside the Chinese Theater. After that, you exchanged thanks with the guild, and then you made your way home. So now it's Monday, and you go through the normal routine of going over the photos you took from the previous weekend, keeping in mind of the new addition to the day's schedule. As you go through the first batch of cosplay photos from the weekend, you hear a knock on your door.

"Alex?" Shannon calls out to you.

"Yes, Shannon?" You tell her.

"Anastasia is here." She tells you, with a smile. "She doesn't look like a cosplayer or any familiar model. What is she?"

"She's a tattoo model, & a burlesque dancer." You tell her. "I met her at a burlesque theater show over the weekend, with help from the cosplay guild."

"So now you're bringing in burlesque dancers with tattoos on their bodies, Alex?" Shannon tells you, pouting playfully. "My, my, you're finding all kinds of ladies."

You walk with Shannon to the reception area, where you find Anastasia looking at her smartphone. Not only does she have her purse with her, but she has a larger bag, where she is likely holding the stuff she wants to model in this day. When she sees you, she stands up, and comes over to shake your hand. After that, you lead her to your office, with Shannon following you.

"Are those some of the photos you took of the Hollywood Cosplay Guild members over the weekend?" Anastasia asks you, seeing the image that appears on the computer screen facing her, when you turn it on.

"Yeah, the ones that require some editing, or enhancements." You tell her.

"Catherine is a great woman." Anastasia tells you. "She helped me procure the outfits you saw me in at the theater, although I had to alter the Vampirella outfit, because it's a second-hand costume for me."

"Who did you buy it from?" You ask her, showing her one of the editing work you're doing on Catherine's Captain Marvel cosplay.

"Are you familiar with Saint Cassandra?" Anastasia asks you. "That was whom I bought the outfit from."

"Yes, I've done several photo sessions with Saint Cassandra, when she's in the states." You tell her. "Cosplayers like her helped me get on the photography map."

You make the smooth transition from small talk, to getting down to business, working on a suitable photography deal that fits her budget for the day, and what she wants to do. Then you let Shannon take her to the ladies' changing area, while you & the crew get the studio set up for the photo session with Anastasia. About 10 minutes later, Anastasia comes out with the Vampirella outfit you saw the previous Saturday. Your crew give her a reasonably excited look, as they see how well the altered costume fit over her curves, and the tattoo's on her skin--save for the Star Sapphire symbol on her right ankle, that's hidden by her thigh-high boots. You start with the series of poses that put an emphasis on her costume first, then poses that put an emphasis on her tattoos. In one particular pose, she recreates the part where she held the goblet in her left hand, positioning her body so that you can see a bulk of the tattoo on her right arm & shoulder. She turns so that her back is to you, using her free hand to move her black hair over her shoulder, revealing her Red Sonja tattoo to you, in addition to the Vampirella symbol tattoo. To finish it off, she does that hissing pose she did at the end of her act that night, as you direct her to position her right hand to look like she's about to slash someone's throat. After that, she sets the empty goblet down, and walks over to you, to have a look at the raw photos you took.

"OMG, Alex," Anastasia tells you, "that is so awesome! I like the angle & lighting you did with that backside pose."

"It puts as much emphasis on your costume," you tell her, "as it does with your tattoos."

"Yes," Anastasia tells you, "particularly with how you captured the view of the dripping blood tattooed on my shoulder blade area. Do you like how my tattoo artist blended the bed of roses with the transition to where I have my Red Sonja tattoo?"

"I do." You tell her. "It looks like a reflection of your seemingly strong, independent nature."

"You're exactly correct, Alex!" Anastasia tells you, smiling. "I strive to be a strong, fiercely independent woman!"