Let's talk about courage...

"So, what do you think?" You ask politely as you lock the strange collar in place and take a step back from the girl. You can tell that she's immediately into it, but her shyness and the presence of her frowning mother makes her barely able to look at herself in the mirror. "Feel anything different?"

"I sure wish I had a daughter with the guts to speak her own mind at least!" The mother snorts dismissively at her back, looking like she's obviously just wasting her time here. But before she's got the chance to say another word, her daughters eyes snap up to meet her own in the mirror.

"Well, that's not what you said when I wanted to buy something like this myself!" She points out, perfectly calm and with a sharpness to her voice that you wouldn't have thought even existed in her. Then she looks at herself again, while her mother just gawks at her, and proudly raises her chin to show off her slender neck. "It feels great! And it's even better if it can keep my moms mouth shut for a while!"

"What?!" The other woman would probably have exploded with indignation at something like that, but was too shocked by hearing it from her own daughter to actually get her voice to bear. "Y-you take that back, young lady!"

"Okay mom, I'm sorry." She says with true regret in her voice, but not so much as to bow her head again. "At some time it just has to be said though."

"Well, it seems to be working alright!" You smile at them both, and see at least the younger of them flashing you the most brilliant little smile in return. "So... Are you sure you don't want to try it as well, madam?"