Rimelion: The Exploiter

59. Backstage

"Why do people do this?" I muttered to myself, wrestling with the delicate fabric. "What kind of sadist invents sparkly leg traps?!"

Oh wait, it was me who wished it!

Stupid past Charlie!

After what felt like an eternity of tugging and maneuvering, I finally got them on, wobbling slightly as I adjusted the fit. I'm a genius. A genius who now understands why people pay others to dress them.

"You are absolutely stunning, Miss Charlie," Jerry said, his voice warm and almost admiring.

"What do you need?" I asked suspiciously, tying strings at the back while glancing in the mirror. The tiara even matched the in-game one—except it wasn't magically glued to my head like in the game. "Oh, wait. I'm stupid!" I exclaimed, spotting a fastening string tucked discreetly along the band. "There's a string!" I tied it, securing the tiara in place as I muttered, "Game logic makes real life feel unnecessarily complicated."

"I don't need... anything?" Jerry's voice sounded genuinely confused.

"That was a joke, Jerry," I replied, smoothing out the skirt as I stepped back to admire the dress. "Don't worry about it. My jokes are terrible. Or great. It depends who you ask."

Just as I finished adjusting the dress, there was a light knock at the door. "Yes! Come in!" I called, still fidgeting with the tiara for good measure.

Lola walked in hesitantly, her eyes squeezed shut like she was bracing for an explosion. In one hand, she clutched her ever-present tablet; in the other, she held a rapier and a dagger. "Here," she said, extending the weapons awkwardly in my general direction.

"Lola, I'm done," I said, taking the weapons and giving her an amused look.

Her eyes fluttered open, taking me in. She froze, her mouth opening slightly as if to say something but deciding against it.

"You okay there?" I asked, testing the balance of the rapier.

"You look..." She paused, visibly flustered before managing, "You look perfect, Lady Charlie."

"Well, thank you," I said, twirling the dagger lightly in my hand. "Now let's hope I fight as well as I look."

As we left the room, Lola turned to me, her shoulders slightly hunched. "I failed you, Lady Charlie. I couldn't get whiskey. We could stop by the bar, maybe?" she asked, her tone cautious, as though unsure if she was crossing some invisible line.

"At a bar? Of course, what an excellent idea!" I said, my grin widening.

Lola blinked, clearly uncertain whether I was serious or setting her up for some kind of scolding. "Lady, if what I said is improper—" she began, her words rushing out, but I stopped her with a dismissive hand gesture.

"Not at all!" I said, my grin turning playful. "I meant it, because I like pubs, especially Patrick's. Great atmosphere, terrible darts players. What's not to love?"

Lola only nodded, her expression a mix of surprise and relief as she turned to lead the way down the hall.

The corridors were an industrial maze, winding and narrow, with walls that gleamed like brushed steel. Overhead, holo-displays flickered to life, throwing colorful ads onto every available surface.

Finally, we emerged into a massive open space that looked like that cavern with a stupid dragon. The room was vast—easily large enough to hold thousands of people—with high ceilings. Steel-like beams crisscrossed above, supporting holo-lights that bathed the space in... Ads for Riker's products.