All in the Past

Oh, I'm so glad they still had it, Minette Belle's latest T-shirt!

You're lucky. That's actually the last one in stock right now.

Thank goodness I made it in time! All my friends are huge fans, they've been hounding me to get this! I'd feel so awkward if I were the only one wearing something else.

...nks, come again... Mm...

People seem to love the new release! It's been flying off the shelves!

...Yeah, I guess. (This is torture... They didn't tell me it'd be a new clerk! I hate new people.)

(Uh...try "thank you," maybe?) (The girl I'm covering for swore she was good at at her job, but...is she okay?! Those bags under her eyes are something else.)

So, how's the designer doing? We're all looking forward to the next release.

She's...the same as always. Though...you shouldn't expect too much.

Ah! Not that she's mad or anything, just... she doesn't do well under p-pressure...

Hello! Come on in!

...Oh my.

Ahhh?!

J-Just...some people I know! S-So nice to catch up, but I should get going. I'll be in touch!

Outside. Now.

Mom? Dad? Geez... If you're stopping by, you need to warn me first.

Sorry, dear. We just wanted to see your clothes in a real storefront, we couldn't help it!

Didn't think we'd actually catch you here. Aren't you busy? Shouldn't you be working on designs?

Checking in on the store is part of the job, you know. I need to see what they're doing with my clothes.

Heehee.

What?

I'm just happy! You've grown into such a fine young woman. I know it was a struggle for you, when your "gift" manifested so much stronger than anyone else in the family... Goodness, how you cried when you were little! I know it pained you to be different from everyone else.

...I remember.

Anyway, we'd better get going. Your mother and I have errands to run. We'll come by again when we have more time.

That's what you remember? All my crying?

Better get back to the studio... Mimi will be getting hungry.

*yaaawn*

What's up? You still hungry?

No? Don't worry, I'm fine. Just...reminiscing. Waaay back in my family line, there was someone who lived where it was super hot. Did you know that? I always loved hearing those stories when I was a...kid...

*yaaawn*

...How long have I been working?

Maybe...just a quick nap...

Mmm? What's up, Mimi, you hungry? Oh, this is...a dream world...

I'm dreaming! Great, this should be good for my next design!

......

Okay, no... Not feeling it today.

(Why'd she have to go and bring that up? Things are different now. It's all history.) (...Thinking about it shouldn't bother me like this.)

Ah! Mimi, wait!

Snff...hck...

(Hard to ignore sobbing like that. For an adult I'd look the other way. Walking past a crying kid is bad though, right?)

H-Hey, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?

No...my mom, she...

Oh! A kitty! She's so cute!

And she's got such a pretty ribbon? Did you give it to her? Wow! It's got flecks of all sorts of colors mixed in with the pink. So sparkly! Where did you even FIND fabric like this?!

I made it myself.

Hey, can I have this ribbon?

Uh...

Please? PLEASE?

Kitty! Come back!

Wh-hey, hang on!

Whew... Okay, Nina. When you wake up, you need...more exercise. Mimi! And, uh...kid whose name I don't know! Shoot. Where'd they go? We've left the village...but it's still safe, right?

Go away! Shoo!!

Definitely not safe!

Get behind me! Or, I don't know, go hide!

One of these, I can handle!

Phew... That almost felt real. Can't a girl get a break?

Are you okay?

I'm fine. You two?

We're fine. Um... I'm sorry about before.

Oh no!!

My handkerchief... I must've dropped it.

It's all ruined! The monster stepped all over it...

Yeah, it's in rough shape. Some parts are ripped clean off. To fix it, I'd have to...

Say, would you mind if it ended up looking a little different?

I guess that'd be fine, but...what are you gonna do?

(It's just a dream. I can show her my power.)

Just watch. I'll use what's left of this, and a little fabric from the hem of your clothes...

(All right, Nina. Focus!)

OMIGOSH! How'd you do that?!

Just watch. I'll use what's left of this, and a little fabric from the hem of your clothes...

(All right, Nina. Focus!)

OMIGOSH! How'd you do that?!

It's like brand-new! I don't get it...

It's my special power, well, something passed down in my family. I unravel the fibers of a fabric and then... Well, basically, I can take fabric apart into thread, and then sew it back together again.

Some parts of your handkerchief were ripped off, though, so I borrowed a little from the hem of your clothes. Just a teeny bit, so no one will notice any is missing.

That's amazing... It's so pretty now!

...It's a weird power to have though, isn't it?

Why's that?

Well, no one else has it. It's not exactly normal...

So you don't like having it?

That's not it, but...

Actually, when I was your age, I did hate it. I was scared of people finding out, so I hid away and spent a lot of my time alone...

(Why am I dumping this on a kid?)

Um...you don't hate it anymore though, right? You made this beautiful ribbon for your kitty!

Guess I have to thank my family for that. One of my ancestors was a designer, too.

Designer?

Someone who makes clothes. It was a long time ago. They had a strong power, just like me, one of the strongest in the whole family. But they used it openly, to make all kinds of interesting outfits that made everyone smile. Hearing those stories, I decided I wanted to be a designer just like them.

(I wanted to make clothes that could say "I don't mind being different.")

Thank goodness I made it in time! All my friends are huge Minette Belle fans, they've been hounding me to get this! I'd feel so awkward if I were the only one wearing something else.

(...not exactly working out that way, is it?)

Hey, miss? Um...there's something I should tell you... Actually, it's probably better if I just show you.

Show me what?

Well...you fixed my handkerchief, but I wanna explain something... So I'm going to turn it back into thread first.

You're, you're going to what?

AAAAAGH! Hold on!

Well...you fixed my handkerchief, but I wanna explain something... So I'm going to turn it back into thread first.

You're, you're going to what?

AAAAAGH! Hold on!

You...you changed it back to thread.

I'm from a family with powers like yours!

But all I can do is take stuff apart. No matter how hard I try, I just cant make the thread back into cloth... In our family, the only one with power as strong as mine is my mom, but she's been feeling sick for a long time...

Huh...

I wanted to make her something to cheer her up, something pretty she could have while she's stuck in bed. But I just couldn't make it work...and um... that's why I was crying....

Your kitty's ribbon was so lovely. I thought if I used it as an example, I might finally get my power to work... I'm sorry I tried to take it, even though it's obviously so important to you.

Well... In that case...how about we practice together?

You mean it? You'd do that?

Sure. It's just a matter of practice. I had to ruin a WHOLE lot of stuff before I ever got the hang of stitching anything back together.

Really? If you're okay with it...I'd like to try.

Okay, but I hope you're ready, it's going to take time. A lot of it.

I-I'm ready!

All right. I'll go first, watch closely.

Wow! You're so good at it...

If you can picture the finished piece clearly in your head before you start, it comes out much better.

Oh... I sort of made fabric, but it's all lumpy.

Try to imagine the stitching in more detail. Here, I'll show you. Though... Hm. We're gonna need more fabric to work with.

Wh-What are you doing?!

Don't think, just start unraveling! Thread, then cloth!

Thread...cloth! Thread...cloth! Thread...cloth!

Pretty good. Now you're getting it!

I made something so beautiful! And it's all thanks to you! I hope my mom likes it.

Go on, hurry back to the village and show her.

But what about you?

I'll be fine. Just go, okay?

Um! I've decided... When I grow up, I'm going to make clothes too. Unique clothes that make all kinds of people happy, just like your ancestor did! I'm really glad I met you, miss! Thank you... for everything!

I made that same promise one, to become a designer, no matter what. Even pushed myself through fashion school for it. I thought I wouldn't survive with all those people... But I never thought about quitting. It felt worth it, for my dream.

S-So, Mimi... Think you could be a good girl and um...go find me some fabric? I got a liiittle carried away during practice. I can't walk around with my clothes looking like this.

I know I went overboard! I had to keep it together in front of the kid! Come on, please?! No regrets. If sacrificing the clothes on my back helped her make something she's proud of, it was worth it.

Wait! Mimi?! She's gone...that traitor. You'd better be out finding fabric scraps for me! I'm counting on you!

Yaaawn...

(So...sleepy...)

Your eye-bags are worse than ever today. Losing sleep again?

Sorry... I just overdid it last night.

(I thought I'd never get out of there. Couldn't relax one bit until Mimi came back with some fabric scraps...) (Still. That was a really good dream. Meeting that girl with the same gift...it reminded me why I started all this in the first place.)

Was it because of that new project?

I mean, we were floored when we heard your designer was planning multiple collaborations at once! No wonder you're run ragged.

Minette Belle can only release so much every season on its own. But what I'd like to see is fans of the brand all wearing something unique, using our clothes to show off their personality.

I want to shift us towards more variety going forward, so I'd like to open as many doors as possible with other brands...

Leave it to me! We've got connections all over town.

(Collabs...meetings with strangers... Am I sure I want to sign up for this?) (I do. I want my designs to reach people.)

(If they can bring people joy, then...it'll all be worth it. I just...have to make a good impression...somehow.)

I-I'd appreciate it! Thanks so much.